REFUGIUM: building shelter cities and a new welcoming culture. Links between European universities and schools in Human Rights. Erasmus Project

Project Title

REFUGIUM: building shelter cities and a new welcoming culture. Links between European universities and schools in Human Rights.

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for higher education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2016

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Research and innovation; Integration of refugees; Migrants’ issues

Project Summary

In this project we have developed innovative educational initiatives and practices aimed at strengthening the role of Higher Education Institutions as agents of social innovation. Through the joint work between the four universities that made up the consortium, as well as with the support and collaboration of other institutions and civil society organizations (NGOs, secondary schools, migrant and refugee associations, etc.), we have promoted the involvement of Higher Education Institutions in social responsibility actions aimed at addressing the situation of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees in Europe.

At the same time, in a context of increase of anti-immigration movements, racism and inter-ethnic conflicts, the actions carried out have been aimed at promoting inclusion, interculturality and social cohesion in European societies in general, and in educational institutions in particular, characterized by great diversity. This project is based on the premise that Higher Education Institutions can play an important role in the inclusion of migrants and refugees through their own educational actions. Our goal has been to develop actions aimed at promoting greater knowledge about the causes, consequences and current status of forced displacements arriving in Europe, as well as preventing racist and xenophobic outbreaks among adolescents and young Europeans.

The developed actions have been focused on the three axes initially planned in the project (diagnostic and research studies, development of educational materials and training) but have also been linked to raising awareness, participation and the establishment of work networks about the topic. The main activities carried out have been the following: 1) Diagnostic study on the perceptions and discourses of the European university students about the so-called refugee crisis, migration and its consequences in Europe; 2) Diagnostic study on the perceptions and discourses of secondary and high school students in the Region of Murcia (Spain) about the so-called refugee crisis, migration and its consequences in Europe; 3) Instructional Materials ‘Building host cities. Tutorials for conviviality’; 4) Teaching material ‘Migration, Asylum and Refuge; 5) MOOC Course: Migrations, asylum and refuge in Europe; 6) Training activity: Asylum in Sweden, the perspective of refugees and NGOs.

Additionally, two exhibitions have been organized and toured through several educational centers in the Region of Murcia and Science Fairs. Diverse awareness and dissemination activities have been organized, such as the coordination of specific workshops and sessions at international conferences, the creation of teaching materials to sensitize children and adolescents about forced migration, the giving of talks and lectures in educational centers, publicity and advertising at bus stops, etc. The main recipients of these actions have been young European university students and adolescent high school students in the Region of Murcia, both natives and migrants and refugees. Secondary recipients have been teachers from educational centers, university staff, NGOs and associations and other institutional and civil society agents. With some activities we have also been able to reach a wider audience: families, citizens, public policy makers, etc.

We estimate to have reached more than five thousand people as direct and indirect recipients with the aforementioned actions. We highlight the fulfillment of the initially defined objectives, achieving greater knowledge among adolescents, youth and society in general, about the causes of recent migratory flows and their characteristics, thus contributing to prevent the emergence of racist and xenophobic actions and behaviors; the generation of training spaces and also an academic and social debate on migration, refuge and human rights and having promoted greater knowledge in the field of higher education on the difficulties and problems for the inclusion of asylum seekers and refugees to the university, as well as on the initiatives developed by European universities for their integration. The project has had a positive impact on the social setting and an indicator of it has been the large number of educational centers, social entities, organizations that have collaborated and asked the project team to develop joint actions on the subject. Thus generating a synergy between different organizations at local and transnational level that has allowed to define future training and intervention projects.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 329125 Eur

Project Coordinator

UNIVERSIDAD DE MURCIA & Country: ES

Project Partners

• UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI SALERNO
• INSTITUTO UNIVERSITARIO DE LISBOA
• LUNDS UNIVERSITET