Makerere Joins Global Coalition of Universities to Increase Access to Higher Education for Refugees

Makerere University has been admitted to
the Global University Academy, a coalition of universities from across the globe coming together to improve and increase access to higher education for refugees and their communities.

Makerere University (Mak) and University
of Cape Town (UCT) are the only African Universities within a coalition of 20 institutions from the global North and South.

“We are excited to belong to this consortium because our educational philosophy is rooted in principles of socially inclusive pedagogies, equity, diversity, and collaboration,” said
Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi, Ag. Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) at Makerere University.

He added: “This global coalition, therefore, presents us with an opportunity to work together across institutions, and borders as we
explore comprehensive educational solutions of the refugee communities.”

In response to the urgent need for improved higher education programs and support services for refugees and their communities, several leading universities from three continents recently launched the Global University Academy to develop a universal higher education model.

Universities based in Africa, Europe, and North America formed the Global University Academy following a workshop hosted by the University of Oslo in June 2024.

With just over 7% of the world’s fast-growing refugee population having some access to higher education resources, the Global University Academy was created to help support the UNHCR’s (UN Refugee Agency) goal of increasing refugee access to higher education to 15% by 2030.

The Global University Academy will act as a network of mutual support in response to immediate refugee crises, while developing long-term resources for refugees and individuals affected by displacement in multiple contexts, to support their right to self-fulfilment.

Over the next 18 months, partners will develop a robust framework for foundation and bachelor’s degree level programs that are co-developed and locally embedded. The work will focus on mutual recognition of courses, assuring courses are relevant and of high standards, collaborating with local partners, securing long-term financial support, and evaluating the impact of the initiative.

To develop its long-term response, the Global University Academy will seek out potential university partners whose local communities have been impacted by large numbers of refugees to ensure a truly robust model can be co-created from the start.

The Global University Academy will also build on the input of potential learners in refugee communities, refugee-led organizations, and other global voices.

Local and global support is also pledged through the Norwegian Refugee Council, which already supports over 1 million refugee learners in primary and secondary education in over 40 countries, and UNHCR, which is the global leader on refugee higher education response and coordination. The Grieg Foundation has provided initial support for the development of the GUA.

University partners:

• Arizona State University
• Humboldt University of Berlin
• KU Leuven
• Makerere University
• Norwegian University of Life Sciences
• Paris Sciences & Lettres (PSL) University
• SOAS, University of London
• Southern New Hampshire University
• Stellenbosch University
• University of Bergen
• University of Cape Town
• UCLouvain
• University of Geneva
• University of Hamburg
• University of Oslo
• University of Oxford

Non-university partners:

• Norwegian Refugee Council
• UNHCR
• SAIH (the Students’ and Academics’ International Assistance Fund).