The Project
In October 2020, the University of Tuscia joined the “Manifesto on an Inclusive University“ a project promoted and developed by UNHCR, to facilitate refugee access to higher education and research, as well as promote social integration and active participation in academic life. To achieve these goals, our university has implemented two projects to facilitate access to education and socio-cultural integration for refugee students in Viterbo:
- The University of Tuscia became a partner in the UNHCR-led UNICORE project – University Corridors for Refugees. This project, now in its sixth edition, offers young refugee students from countries such as Eritrea and Sudan the opportunity to safely and regularly come to Italy to complete their education by enrolling in a master’s degree programme taught in English.
- Following the war in Ukraine, the University of Tuscia initiated the UNITUS for Ukraine An extraordinary fund of over two hundred thousand euros was allocated to accommodate students, researchers, and technical-administrative staff fleeing Ukraine at the Viterbo campus.
This project addresses the unique challenges faced by refugees, such as financial constraints and cultural or linguistic disorientation, which can impede their academic success and integration. The UNITUS4Refugees initiative facilitates a smooth transition for refugee students by providing financial support through crowdfunded scholarships and grants, managed in partnership with the UNITUS Alumni Association, the CoSME (Community Sponsorship for Migrants in Europe) Project and the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence on Integration of Migrants in Europe (IntoME). These funds meet immediate financial needs during the early stages of resettlement. The initiative also maintains an active donor network and organises fundraising events to expand resources, support scholarships, and establish emergency funds for students at risk of losing educational opportunities. Through the initiative, Master’s students benefit from mentoring by PhD students, orientation grants, peer-to-peer programmes, free language courses, linguistic and cultural mediation, simultaneous translation of events into Italian, dedicated library services. Additional activities include student prizes and competitions, funded by private entities, as well as student-led awareness-raising events. This comprehensive approach enables refugee students to pursue higher education in a supportive and inclusive environment while building foundations for long-term success and societal contributions.
UPDATE 01/11/24
We are pleased to announce the allocation of annual funding for the UNITUS4Refugees project. This project is a partner in the UNICORE (University Corridors for Refugees) initiative, sponsored and developed by the UNHCR. UNITUS4Refugees is in line with the University’s commitment to the Inclusive University Manifesto, adopted in October 2020, which aims to facilitate refugees’ access to university education, promote their social integration and encourage their active participation in academic life. The project also advances the University’s broader goals of promoting socio-cultural integration and active engagement through targeted support and inclusion initiatives for vulnerable students in Viterbo.
The #UNITUS4Refugees project aims to create and enhance synergies between university initiatives that promote the integration of refugee students and build inclusive pathways. It provides a support network and solidarity that contributes to fully realizing the potential of UNICORE and UNITUS for Ukraine.
#UNITUS4Refugees begins by acknowledging the University of Tuscia’s academic community, student associations, civil society, and local institutions for their remarkable capacity to support and include the most vulnerable students during the pandemic. Refugees face unique challenges, including high costs of higher education and daily living expenses, especially during the critical phase of initial reception before scholarships are awarded. Additionally, refugees often lack family support networks and struggle to rebuild lost relationships and identities after fleeing their home countries. This situation poses a risk of students dropping out of their studies, resulting in the loss of valuable human and social capital for both the university community and the Viterbo area.
#UNITUS4Refugees addresses the need for the initial reception and integration of refugees studying at the university. Born with the collaboration of the Alumni Association (WeUnitus), #UNITUS4Refugees is a crowdfunding tool hosted on the association’s website allowing anyone to donate to refugee students in the UNICORE and UNITUS for Ukraine projects.
The project aims to extend its scope to interdisciplinary initiatives and third/fourth mission activities, becoming an incubator of best practices that can be replicated in other Italian and European universities that have joined the “Manifesto on an Inclusive University”, thanks to the solid infrastructure of the Alumni network. In this regard, #UNITUS4Refugees is in line with the European University Strategy (COM(2022) 16 final), which aims to establish “excellent and inclusive universities” as a basis for open, democratic, fair, and sustainable societies, as well as sustained growth, entrepreneurship, and employment.
The initiative was launched during the HAVE YOUR SAY! workshop held on June 20, 2022, on World Refugee Day.
For information on the #UNITUS4Refugees, please contact the initiative’s promoters via institutional email:
- Gilda Nicolai, Rector’s Representative for the Alumni (WeUnitus) nicolai@unitus.it
- Mario Savino, Coordinator of the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence on Migrant Integration in Europe (IntoME) mario.savino@unitus.it
- Daniela Vitiello, Rector’s Delegate for the UNICORE Project daniela.vitiello@unitus.it
Join the #UNITUS4Refugees Project by emailing us at: info@cosmeproject.eu
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