Responding to the refugee crisis –DAAD‘s activities and...

Responding to the refugee crisis – DAAD‘s

activities and measures in Germany and abroad

ISTANBUL

19 February 2016

Dr. Dorothea Rüland, Secretary General

1

Agenda

2

1. About the German Academic Exchange Service

(DAAD)

2. Facts & Figures

3. DAAD‘s measures to respond to the refugee crisis

a) Focus: perspectives in the neighbouring countries

b) Focus: Germany’s higher education system

4. Some topics discussed with regards to the integration

of refugees into HE

5. Summary & next steps

3

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is …

A self-governing organisation

of German universities:

238 member universities

107 student bodies

4

Structure and organisation

President

Prof. Dr. Margret Wintermantel

Headquarters Bonn

Berlin OfficeSelection Committees

Board of Trustees

General Assembly

Secretary General

Dr. Dorothea Rüland

Vice President

Prof. Dr. Joybrato Mukherjee

Regional Offices

Information CentresUniversities Student Bodies

Executive

Committee

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Goals and tasks of the DAAD

5

EXPERTİSE FOR

ACADEMİC

COLLABORATİON

STRUCTURES FOR

İNTERNATİONALİSATİON

SCHOLARSHİPS FOR

THE BEST

Three strategic areas of activity

Grant scholarships to the best

so that the professionals and leaders

of tomorrow can gain qualifications at

the best locations, prepare for positions

of responsibility and cultivate contacts

throughout the world.

Create structures that promote

internationalisation

so that higher education

institutions can improve the

quality of research and

instruction and address the

challenges of the future with

strong partners.

so that more people can cross

borders and achieve success in

study and research.

so that German remains an

important language of culture

and scholarship.

so that higher education

institutions may contribute to

development and build bridges

to surmount conflicts.

Offer expertise for academic

collaboration

so that academic and political leaders

are able to make well-informed policy

decisions.

Scholarships for the Best

6

Funding recipients in 2014

29,111through individual grants

40,732through EU mobility programmes

51,273through project funding

Facts & Figures – The situation worldwide

7

59,5 million

forcibly displaced worldwide

19,5 million

refugees

38,2 million

Internally displaced persons

1,8 million

Asylum-seekers

Source: UNHCR, 2014

TOP hosting countries1. Turkey (1.59 million)

2. Pakistan (1.51 million)

3. Lebanon (1.15 million)

4. Islamic Republic

of Iran (982,000)

5. Ethiopia (659,500)

6. Jordan (654,100)

Facts & Figures – The situation in Germany

8

Source: Federal Office for

Migration and Refugees, 2015

Germany continues to be

the largest single recipient of

new asylum claims among the

group of industrialized countries.

Total number of registered

refugees in 2015

Total number of

applications for

asylum in 2015

1,1 million 477.000

Development of the number of asylum applications (2013-2015)


9

40% are

younger than

30



(adapted)

Asylum applications by age group and gender (01/2015-10/2015)

Age group Asylum applicationsPercentage of

male asylum

applicants

within the age

groups

Percentage of

female

asylum

applicants

within the age

groupsTotal

Distribution of male

asylum applicants by

age group

Distribution of female

asylum applicants by

age group

up to 16 years 86.498 26,1% 47.466 20,7% 39.032 38,2% 54,9% 45,1%

from 16 to under 18 years 15.062 4,5% 11.910 5,2% 3.152 3,1% 79,1% 20,9%









from 60 to under 65 years 1.768 0,5% 943 0,4% 825 0,8% 53,3% 46,7%

65 years and older 1.846 0,6% 859 0,4% 987 1,0% 46,5% 53,5%

Total 331.226 100,0% 228.950 100,0% 102.276 100,0% 69,1% 30,9%


10

Syria; 162.510; 34%

Albania; 54.762; 11%

Kosovo; 37.095; 8%

Afghanistan; 31.902; 7%

Iraq; 31.379; 7%

Serbia; 26.945; 6%

Mazedonia; 14.131; 3%

Unknown; 12.166; 2%

Eritrea; 10.990; 2%

Pakistan; 8.472; 2%

Others; 86.297; 18%

Most important countries of origin of asylum seekers in 2015



(adapted)


11

Higher Education

25%

High School25%Secondary

School23%

Primary School17%

No Schooling3%

Higher education

13%

High school 17,5%

Secondary School30%

Primary School 24%

No Schooling

8%

Educational Background

Source: BAMF; Background: Self disclosure of a) 105.000 Applicants

for asylum of all HKL; b) 28.000 Asylum seekers from Syria

a) Asylum seekers from all countries

of origin, > 20 years oldb) Asylum seekers from Syria, > 20

years old

DAAD‘s measures to respond to the refugee crisis

12

DAAD‘smeasures

Sur place scholarship

programmes for the integration of refugees in the

region

Programmes tofacilitate theintegration ofrefugees intoGerman HEIs

Focus:

Neighbouring

countries

Focus:

Germany

DAAD‘s approaches: Programmes to support the

refugees in the neighbouring countries

13

DAAD-Programme: “New Perspectives for Young

Syrians and Jordanians” – Master’s Scholarships for

Jordanians and Syrians in Jordan

Financed through the special initiative by the Federal

Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development

(BMZ) through GIZ: Fighting the causes of forced

migration - Re-integrating refugees.

In September 2015: first intake with 20 Syrian and 20

Jordanian scholarship holders

Next intake begins in September 2016

DAAD‘s measures in Germany - overview

14

1. Leadership for Syria (LfS) scholarship programme

a. 221 individual scholarships for studies at German HEIs

b. Winter semester 2015 : study start

c. Funded by the Federal Foreign Office

2. Support of HEIs with the integration of refugees into

academic programmes

DAAD‘s measures in Germany – starting point

15

German HEIs/students have set up many projects that

support the integration of refugees into higher

education

Integration

activities, e.g.

buddy

programmes

Give access to

university

facilities e.g.

access to library

follow

courses as

guests

Develop

admission

procedures in

case of lacking

documentation

Voluntary student

engagement:

refugees law clinics,

German language

classes, etc.

And many

more…

DAAD‘s measures in Germany – challenge

16

Aims:

1. Establish sustainable support structures at the HEIs

2. Provide support at the different levels of the student life

cycle

On 13 October the Federal Ministry of Education and

Research announced to support German HEIs with 100

million Euros until 2019

DAAD will administer all measures and set up

programmes for the HEIs

DAAD‘s measures in Germany: overview of funding lines

17

Recognising potentials: Diagnostics and

advisory services

• Assessment tests forforeign students(TestAS): Translation into Arabic

• Support of HEIs withregards to thedocument screening: Service provider uni-assist

Ensuring academic qualification:

preparatory courses

• 2400 additional places each year at preparatory colleges

• Language instruction and subject-based preparation through foundation courses

Supporting student engagement

• New DAAD-Programme „WELCOME – StudentsHelping Refugees

DAAD‘s measures in Germany: New Website

18

Some topics discussed with regards to the integration of

refugees into HE

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1. (German) Language skills

2. Formal admission procedures

3. Lack of documentation

4. Financial issues


refugees into HE - (German) language skills

20

The majority of the refugees does not have German

language skills

BUT:

Almost no offers in English on the Bachelors level

Funding gap: German language courses on an

academic level


refugees into HE - Lack of documentation

21

How to deal with those not having full documentation?

Decision from 3 December 2015 (!) by the standing

Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural

Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of

Germany (KMK)

Determination of the residential and asylum status of the prospective

students

plausibility checks of the individual educational biography

Use of standardised scholastic aptitude tests or similar


refugees into HE - Formal admission procedures

22

From a legal perspective, refugees are entitled to study

in Germany

Admission procedures: Equal to other international

students from non-EU countries

Problem: Quotas for international students for study

programmes with admissions restrictions

Preferred study field of the students


refugees into HE - Financial issues

23

Student loan/grant „BaFöG“ for recognised refugees

and ‚tolerated‘ refugees (after 15 months)

Social benefits for refugees

Summary & next steps

24

Further measures for the integration of refugees in the

neighbouring countries and in the HEIs in Germany are

needed

DAAD is willing to further engage in this important

topic / coordinating role

Need of coordination across all European countries

(exchange of best practices, recognition of credit

points, lack of documents, etc.)

Responding to the refugee crisis –DAAD‘s activities and...

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