Creating new perspectives

The DAAD uses BMBF funding to subsidise more than 300 projects at 180 universities across Germany supporting refugees wishing to study.

Bonn/Berlin, 30/05/2016. With funding from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) currently supports more than 300 projects at over 180 universities to facilitate access to education for refugees throughout Germany. The BMBF launched a corresponding package of measures at the end of 2015. Approximately €100 million have been earmarked to be used for this purpose in the next few years, including €27 million in the current year.

“Those who have what it takes should get the chance to study here,” said Federal Education Minister Johanna Wanka. “We want to give young talented refugees the opportunity to be international students as soon as possible. Their qualifications will help them to rebuild their home country one day or to contribute to our society here. In view of the fantastic commitment shown by students and universities, I am optimistic that we shall succeed in this. The BMBF supports the universities with targeted programmes to integrate refugees who are qualified to study.”

“The response to our funding programmes at the universities has been great. This reflects the high degree of commitment of the universities as well as the real need for offers tailored to refugees able and wishing to study. The biggest hurdle currently remains the language, making courses at preparatory colleges key to successful commencement of university studies,” says DAAD President Prof. Margret Wintermantel.

Today, Wintermantel and BMBF State Secretary Cornelia Quennet-Thielen are visiting a propaedeutic course for refugees at the preparatory college of the Freie Universität Berlin. Together with the President of the Freie Universität Peter-André Alt, the State Secretary of Education and the DAAD President want to talk to the course participants to gain an impression of how the BMBF package of measures is working in practice.

At the core of these measures is the preparation of refugees with a qualification for admission to higher education obtained in their home country for academic studies in Germany. Preparation involves language instruction and subject-specific teaching. The DAAD’s INTEGRA programme funded by the BMBF currently supports 152 projects. These have made around 2,800 places available at preparatory colleges and comparable institutions as well as in language and subject-specific courses at universities.

The BMBF moreover supplies the DAAD with funding for 152 projects within the “Welcome – Students Helping Refugees” programme. Almost 700 student assistants are involved in these projects at German universities. These projects encompass mentoring programmes, language support through learning cafés or language buddies as well as counselling offers.

A further component of the measures is the determination and recognition of skills and qualifications: prospective students who have come to Germany as refugees can take an academic aptitude test and submit their application free of charge. The DAAD covers the cost of the Test for Academic Studies (TestAS) and the review procedure by the uni-assist application service for international students with BMBF funding. The procedures determine the chances of an applicant for admission to higher education.

More information:

https://www.bmbf.de/de/fluechtlinge-durch-bildung-integrieren.html

https://www.daad.de/der-daad/fluechtlinge/en/

www.fu-berlin.de/en/sites/welcome