Online University Offers Free Education to Refugees
Anyone who has applied to college knows that a missing transcript, diploma, or even letter of recommendation can be the difference between getting accepted and opening a slim “We regret to inform you” letter. But for the millions of refugees who have fled conflict zones with little more than the clothes on their backs, the basic paperwork required to begin or continue with higher education isn’t easy to come by.
That’s why Markus Kressler helped establish Kiron University, an online school—based in Germany but accessible across the globe—that caters to refugees. With classes set to begin in October, students can earn internationally recognized bachelor’s degrees for free.
“To enroll in a university in Germany, you need to show specific school certificates and to speak German perfectly just to hand in your application,” Kressler, who witnessed firsthand the need for such a school while working as a counselor for refugees, explains in a video. “That means that people are condemned to live in uncertainty for one, two, or even more years, and their talent is on standby.”
Believing that access to education is the best way to allow refugees to help themselves, Kiron University puts paperwork on the back burner and lets students start school without proof of prior education or legal residence. Instead, they need only a certificate that confirms they are refugees or have applied for refugee status, Reuters reports.
The university works in collaboration with massive open online courses (MOOCs), offering classes from top universities such as Yale, MIT, and Harvard. Classes are available in English, with plans to expand to other languages, including Arabic and French, and five areas of study are offered: computer science, engineering, architecture, intercultural studies, and business.
After two years of online courses, students will transfer to one of 20 partner colleges across Europe that have agreed to accept students and recognize credits from Kiron. Only then will they need to present documents required to enter traditional universities.
As a nongovernmental organization, Kiron has raised money to support the students along with the online platform and access to library resources through crowdfunding. It has surpassed its first goal of 120,000 euros, which will provide scholarships for 100 students. With more than 15,000 people expressing interest in the program, it has upped the goal to 1.2 million euros and hopes to assist 1,000 students.
Related stories on TakePart:
• Banksy’s Dismaland Theme Park Will Become Refugee Housing
• How to Build a Government When Your Hospitals and Schools Are Getting Bombed
Original article from TakePart
