The Manifesto for an Inclusive University (MUI): the Univr Action Plan and the Unicore Project

Facilitating refugee students' access to university education and research, promoting their integration and active participation in academic life.

Photo credits: Unicore

Only 5% of refugees globally have access to higher education.

(Source: UNHCRStaying the course’ - The challenges facing refugee education)

To facilitate the access of individuals who have been granted international protection status to university education and research, promote their social integration and active participation in academic life, UNHCR proposed the Manifesto for an Inclusive University (MUI) to Italian universities.

MUI priority actions:

recognition of foreign qualifications for admissions;
student support and benefits;
support measures to foster the inclusion of refugees in the academic environment and tools to enhance their participation;
support measures to enhance the inclusion of refugees in local communities;
career service;
the UNICORE Project – University Humanitarian Corridors

MUI falls within the framework of the Global Compact on Refugees and the EU Strategy for Excellence and Inclusive Universities and the National Integration Plan.

News

Report MUI 2023: Presentation of the survey result 2023 on university students beneficiaries and applicants of international protection. pdf in italian

The sixth edition of “Unicore, University Corridors for Refugees” begins. The call and the press release.

AWARENESS-RAISING AND TRAINING

World Refugee Day, 20th June

Global Trends in Forced Displacement 2023 published by UNHCR

Updated Project Guide PASS - Passport for a Safe Stay (ASGI - Intersos).

Guide that provides guidance and support for the application of the passport and the main consular attestations necessary for the application, renewal or conversion of the residence permit. The guide provides information about the embassies of the following countries: Albania, Algeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tunisia.

World Refugee Day, 20th June

Global Trends in Forced Displacement 2022 published by UNHCR

Juma Map: map of services and main services dedicated to asylum seekers and refugees throughout the national territory created by UNHCR Italy and ARCI. Within the site, a section dedicated to the Ukrainian emergency.

The freephone number for asylum seekers and refugees: 800 905 570 - LYCAMOBILE: +393511376335
numeroverderifugiati@arci.it

"Communicating as protagonists"
UNHCR course for refugees, subsidiary and temporary protection holders and stateless persons on public speaking techniques, interview management and communication through social media
Milan, 13 -14 December 2022.
https://www.unhcr.org/it/cosa-facciamo/la-nostra-voce/comunicare-da-protagonisti/

Sustainable companies and socio-occupational integration of holders of international protection: testimonies of benefits and social responsibility with the participation of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Quid Project, MAN Truck & Bus Italia S.p.A.
Recruiting Day Verona webinar, in collaboration with MUI Univr, open to all interested
18 October 2022, 4 pm
Watch the video

Training seminars, for TA staff and teachers, organised by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
International protection and complementary forms of protection; The reception system; Intercultural communication with applicants and beneficiaries of protection
6 October - 1 December 2022
https://myunivr.univr.it/w/seminari-formativi-onu

"Communicating as protagonists"
UNHCR course for refugees, subsidiary and temporary protection holders and stateless persons on public speaking techniques, interview management and communication through social media
Milan, 13 -14 December 2021.
https://www.unhcr.org/it/cosa-facciamo/la-nostra-voce/comunicare-da-protagonisti/

Expanding Durable Solutions for Refugee Youth through Higher Education: seminars October-December 2021
Application form

Summer training school
Legal and Political Challenges of Migrants’ Integration in Europe, (IntoME -28 June - 4 July 2021 ) free subscriptions by 15 June.

Welcome. Working for refugee integration
Cycle of 3 meetings from 19 May to 21 September 2021 on the integration of refugees in the company

Path Bbetween 2021 Civic engagement - Uni4all.

The course aims to develop skills related to inclusion and intercultural communication.
Through the intervention of academics and experts of IOM - International Organization for Migration and UNHCR, participants will be guided in acquiring the tools to understand the difficulties of asylum seekers and develop appropriate approach techniques.
Participation is free and open to all.

Click here to subscribe to the route

Registration deadline: 2 May 2021
For more information: www.unimib.it/eventi/uni4all

Migration and human capital: tools and resources to enhance skills
promoted within the project "Fatti Riconoscere! Access to study and work in Italy" (February-June 2021)

Giornata mondiale del rifugiato

Dati Global Trends 2023-UNHCR: 117.3 milioni di persone in fuga nel mondo

The UNICORE Project

The UNICORE university humanitarian corridors project is the MUI's initiative designed to enable refugee students to arrive in Italy in a regular and safe manner to pursue their studies by attending a university Master’s degree programme.

A total of 40 Italian universities (see map) , including Univr, will take part in the sixth edition of the UNICORE - University corridors for Refugees project to provide 68 refugees with the opportunity of continuing their academic path in Italy. Students who are currently refugees residing in Kenya, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe will be selected according to merit and motivation through a public call that will be opened from the 1^st of March, and will arrive in Italy in September. The project, which was launched in 2019 as a pilot phase, has been expanding in the years that followed, through new editions and by supporting a growing number of refugee students.

The 51 refugees from Africa, who will continue their studies in the Italian Universities adhering to the project.

In order to guarantee appropriate reception and inclusion standards, the Project is based on a national partnership, comprised of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, UNHCR, Caritas Italiana, Diaconia Valdese, Centro Astalli and the member universities, with the support of local partners.

Local partners

UNI-CO-RE 6.0

UNICORE 6.0
The sixth edition of the UNICORE – University corridors for Refugees project. An initiative promoted by UNHCR to give the opportunity to 40 refugees to come to Italy safely and legally in other to continue their studies.

The Manifesto for an Inclusive University (MUI) and the UNICORE Project at the University of Verona

Univr Action Plan for the Manifesto for an Inclusive University (MUI) – Support for students granted international protection status and asylum seekers

As part of the Welcome and Inclusion strategy line, the University of Verona has joined the Manifesto for an Inclusive University (MUI) on 21 January 2020 to take part in the working groups and priority initiatives of the project.

On 26 July 2022 the Univr Action Plan for the Manifesto for an Inclusive University was approved (see Academic Senate)

WHO’S IT FOR: students who have been granted international protection status and asylum seekers already enrolled at UNIVR or wishing to apply for a degree programme at the University.

STARTING FROM: A.Y. 2022-2023

MAIN GOAL: support for students granted international protection status and asylum seekers through actions and services aimed at facilitating their access to university education, continuation of studies, career service and active participation in academic life and community.

The project aims to achieve the goals of MUI by considering the features of the local context and the importance of coordination with local institutions and associations.

Services and actions:

evaluation of foreign qualifications for admissions;
extension of exemption from university fees for those who have been granted international protection status and asylum seekers;
guidance/mentoring services aimed at supporting students in making an informed choice about University, and administrative support;
support measures to foster the inclusion of refugees in the academic and local communities;
career service and job orientation;
involvement of students granted international protection status and asylum seekers to understand their specific needs and encourage their active participation in academic life.

Contact us: mui@ateneo.univr.it

MUI Overview [PDF]

Un aiuto concreto per l'inserimento e la partecipazione delle beneficiarie e dei beneficiari del progetto MUI nel sistema UniVr: studentesse tutor e destinatarie raccontano la loro esperienza
Guarda il video
Articolo su Univrmagazine

Aziende sostenibili e inserimento socio-lavorativo dei titolari di protezione internazionale: testimonianze di vantaggi e responsabilità sociale con la partecipazione dell'Alto Commissariato per i Rifugiati dell’ONU (UNHCR), Progetto Quid, MAN Truck & Bus Italia S.p.A.
Webinar di Recruiting Day Verona, in collaborazione con MUI UniVr
18 ottobre 2022, ore 16.00

Bando di concorso per l'attribuzione di un sostegno economico a favore di "Students at risk"

Online il bando per l’erogazione di un sostegno economico a favore delle/gli studentesse/i universitarie/i titolari di protezione o “at risk” al fine di realizzare un’azione concreta a supporto di soggetti vulnerabili e favorire la cultura dell’accoglienza e della pace.

Le domande potranno essere presentate usando il form fino alle ore 13:00 del 31 luglio 2024.

"L'Università di Verona celebra la Giornata mondiale del rifugiato"

articolo su Univrmagazine

The UNICORE Project at the University of Verona

On the 1st of March 2024 the call for the UNI.CO.RE 6.0 edition was published (press release).

The University of Verona has joined the UNI-CO-RE – University Corridors for Refugees project as part of the actions and network of the Manifesto for an Inclusive University proposed by UNHCR.

The University of Verona, along with partners, contributes with Unicore to a project whose cornerstones are reception, motivation and merit, and it implements the general strategy for University reception and inclusion, which falls within the framework of the Global Compact on Refugees and the EU Strategy for excellence and inclusive universities.

In the framework of MUI, the University of Verona has joined the UNICORE Project and it has taken part in the last four editions: UNICORE 3.0 (as approved by the University’s Senate and Board of Governors on 28-29 January 2021), UNICORE 4.0 (as approved by the University’s Senate and Board of Governors on 22 February 2022), UNICORE 5.0 (as approved by the University’s Senate and Board of Governors on 28 March 2023) e UNICORE 6.0 (as approved by the University’s Senate and Board of Governors on 30 January 2024) providing scholarship benefits on each edition.

In the academic years 2022/2023 and 2023-2024, a refugee student in Zambia, originally from Congo, was awarded a scholarship granted by the University of Verona on the 1^st of April 2022 as part of UNICORE 4.0. The student was admitted to the international master degree in Molecular and Medical Biotechnology.

In the academic years 2023/2024 and 2024/2025, through a call published on 3 April 2023, for the UNI.CO.RE 5.0 edition, a refugee student in Kenya originally from South Sudan was selected on the basis of merit and motivation. The student was admitted to the international master degree in Economics and data Analysis.

The call expires on the 15^thof April 2024 and all of the information can be consulted on the website https://universitycorridors.unhcr.it/ and for the UNIVR on the web page https://www.univr.it/it/ manifesto-universita-inclusiva.

The sixth edition of “Unicore, University Corridors for Refugees” begins.

Divine, a student originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, refugee in Zambia, she told the story of her reception in Verona.
Read on Univrmagazine