The DAAD has been supporting universities with the integration of refugee students by means of several programmes for one year now. The feedback reported by project leaders in a first review in Bonn is very positive.
With the "exceed" program, the DAAD is funding academic excellence and international cooperation in exceptional dimensions through funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
With the “Integra” programme, academically qualified refugees are given the chance to prepare for university study in special programmes offered at German universities and preparatory colleges. The goal is to get student refugees accustomed to the higher education sector as quickly as possible. A look at a selection of funded projects.
Around 50,000 refugees in Germany who are qualified to study represent a big opportunity as well as an immense challenge: “The language is still the biggest hurdle at the moment, making courses at preparatory colleges vital for successful commencement of university studies,” says DAAD President Prof. Margret Wintermantel. Together with Cornelia Quennet-Thielen, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Wintermantel visited a preparatory college at the Freie Universität Berlin funded within the scope of the DAAD programme “Integra”.
