Collective Action for Change

Abstract

We are living in an era of escalating conflicts and crises. Nearly 130 million individuals are forcibly displaced worldwide due to conflict, a figure twice that of 2017. At the same time, humanitarian funding is dwindling and cannot keep pace with the spiraling number of humanitarian emergencies declared globally. In order to reach the United Nation’s Higher Commissioner for Refugee’s (UNHCR’s) goal of giving 15% of refugee youth access to higher education by 2030, it is necessary to think and act collaboratively and creatively in our responses. We need to create innovative, scalable, and cost-efficient higher education delivered through sustainable cross-sectorial ecosystems.  

The Global University Academy (GUA) brings together universities and other stakeholders willing to pool contributions and work with local partners to ensure UNHCR's goal. By joining the expertise and resources of universities across the world, the core purpose of GUA is to develop a large-scale joint approach towards providing internationally recognized higher education courses and degrees for refugees, displaced learners, and their local communities. 

The GUA document calls for policy changes to support this, and thereby fostering resilience, integration, and prosperity for displaced populations and their host communities—ultimately contributing to more peaceful and stable societies around the world. 

Citation 

Global University Academy. (n.d.). Collective action for change. https://www.globaluniversityacademy.org/news/collective-action-for-change.html