Rethinking Higher Education for Refugees: A Strategic Investment in Skills, Self-Reliance and Development
This event explores how higher education can be repositioned as a strategic tool in EU external action, helping to deliver skills, support labour markets, and strengthen resilience in displacement contexts. It brings together representatives from the European Commission, UN agencies, and universities to examine how innovative education models can create system-level impact and inform EU policy in fragile settings.
With over 120 million people forcibly displaced worldwide, access to higher education remains extremely limited, despite strong evidence of its benefits. Graduates earn higher wages, contribute to rebuilding communities, and foster social cohesion, civic engagement, and leadership. All of which are key factors for long-term stability and peace.
The EU has shown leadership in humanitarian and development efforts, however higher education is still underused as a strategic investment in displacement contexts. The event therefore asks how institutions can play a stronger role in promoting inclusion, resilience, and economic participation through EU external action.
The event is hosted by the Swiss Embassy and the Belgian Permanent Representative to the EU, in partnership with the Global University Academy.
Why attend:
- Gain policy-relevant insights on the role of higher education in EU external action and global development
- Explore innovative models for delivering accredited, flexible education at scale
- Engage with key actors shaping the future of education in displacement contexts
- Connect with a targeted network of policymakers, practitioners, and academic leaders
Speakers & Panellists
