Universities should create scholarships for refugees

Every university in Britain is being urged to play its part in tackling the migrant crisis by helping make it easier for refugees and asylum-seekers to access higher education, writes Dean Kirby for The Independent.

A group of academics have written an open letter to university vice-chancellors calling on them each to create five undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships and bursaries for students fleeing violence and war. Charities have already been working with some universities to fund a small number of tuition-fee bursaries for student asylum-seekers, but academics and campaigners now want every institution to play its part.

Academics who are members of the Campaign for the Public University, which was launched to challenge the introduction of tuition fees, have joined forces with the Citizens UK campaign group to make the call. They are also urging people to sign a petition backing the proposals. George Gabriel from Citizens UK said: “We are in the midst of a humanitarian crisis and every bit of society needs to play its part. Tens of thousands of people are stepping forward to help, and Britain’s universities need to do the same.”
Full report on The Independent site