{"id":6707,"date":"2015-09-21T14:09:18","date_gmt":"2015-09-21T12:09:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/2015\/09\/21\/hoger-onderwijs-te-star-voor-vluchtelingstudenten\/?lang=en"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:22:22","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:22:22","slug":"hoger-onderwijs-te-star-voor-vluchtelingstudenten","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2015\/09\/21\/hoger-onderwijs-te-star-voor-vluchtelingstudenten\/","title":{"rendered":"Higher education too rigid for refugee students"},"content":{"rendered":"

Highly qualified refugees must get back into education as soon as possible. However, the rules of educational institutions can be too strict, says the Foundation for Refugee Students (UAF).<\/p>\n

Universities and colleges sometimes make it difficult for refugee students, says Albert de Voogd, head of Student Supervision at the UAF. The rules for the binding study advice could be more flexible, for example. \u201cRefugees are not familiar with the Dutch education system,\u201d says De Voogd. \u201cWe hear that first year students tend to be overwhelmed by everything they have to deal with.\u201d<\/p>\n

Preparatory programme<\/h2>

The UAF also wants all refugee students to follow a preparatory programme at an educational institution. \u201cThis is currently only possible at the Vrije Universiteit and at five or six universities of applied sciences\u201d, says De Voogd.<\/p>\n

A national action plan needs to resolve more problems preventing rapid access to universities. De Voogd: \u201cRefugees are given money for a language course, for example, but not for travel expenses. Many refugee reception centres are a long way from the big cities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Preferably Dutch<\/h2>

The UAF prefers students to follow a Dutch rather than an English language programme. \u201cMost people spend a long time here and fluency in Dutch is key to getting a good start on the job market.\u201d<\/p>\n

Around seventy percent of newly arrived refugees have secondary or higher education, estimates the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers today. \u201cThat sounds quite unique, but we\u2019ve seen it before,\u201d says De Voogd. \u201cWe used to have lots of refugees from Hungary. They were also very well educated. We also had an influx of highly qualified people during the war in former Yugoslavia.\u201d<\/p>\n

Last week, universities and college announced that they would welcome refugee students. \u201cThat\u2019s wonderful,\u201d says De Voogd, \u201cbut that intention needs to be translated into a good plan.\u201d<\/p>\n

Various municipalities, businesses and organisations have already shown an interest in highly qualified refugees. Amsterdam wants to offer refugees the opportunity to start a business, says alderperson Kajsa Ollongren in today\u2019s Financieel Dagblad. Construction company Dura Vermeer is looking for dozens of engineers and employer\u2019s organisation VNO-NCW is talking to job agencies to chart the working experience of the asylum seekers.<\/p>\n\n\t

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De redactie<\/h2>\n\t\t\n\t\t
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