Welcoming Universities
Welcoming Universities aims to transform universities into places where all students and staff, particularly those from underrepresented, vulnerable, or equity backgrounds, such as refugees, feel truly welcomed, included, and like they belong.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has set the 15by30 target, calling on universities worldwide to help achieve 15% enrolment of refugee learners in higher education by 2030.
As a founding member of Welcoming Universities, the University of Melbourne plays a leading role in advancing refugee inclusion in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. We collaborate across the sector to provide safety for academics facing, or at risk of, violence due to their work, and to strengthen pathways for refugee participation.
Welcoming Universities provides the foundation to harness expertise across the University, supporting refugee communities and expanding opportunities through scholarships, extended programs, micro-credentials, and specialised certificates or diplomas.
We do this by:
- building expertise in refugee inclusion
- engaging and leading global coalitions
- providing support to university communities in distress.