Versione italiana

Schools and universities are fundamental stages and important opportunities for young refugees to seize in their social inclusion path. According to the UN Refugee Agency statistics (UNHCR), only 3% of the refugees worldwide have access to higher education while the global average accounts for 37%.

To meet these challenges, Italian universities have signed the Manifesto dell’Università Inclusiva (Manifesto for Inclusive Universities) promoted by UNHCR. The manifesto aims to facilitate access to higher education for refugees and promote social inclusion and active participation in academic life.

The Manifesto includes general and guiding principles to which the signatories have committed themselves. The universities involved are implementing and working on the range of activities and programmes for refugee students, e.g. services for information and tutoring, recognition of qualifications obtained abroad, scholarships and benefits, and university corridors as regular immigration channels for refugee students living in third countries.

This initiative is part of the Global compact on refugees. This document, adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 2018, commits governments, civil society and universities to promoting support and integration pathways for refugees.

Following the decision by the Academic Senate on 12 November 2019, the University of Padua has responded to the UNHCR’s appeal by signing the Manifesto for Inclusive University (Manifesto dell’Università Inclusiva).