Bridging the Gap: Leveraging Online Higher Education for Displaced Persons

Amine Moussa (), Clemens Wollny () and Carol Switzer ()
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Amine Moussa: Notre Dame University – Louaize
Clemens Wollny: Technical University Bingen
Carol Switzer: Università della Svizzera italiana

A chapter in Technology for Societal Transformation, 2025, pp 251-268 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract Online education holds significant potential for development cooperation, particularly in enhancing access to higher education for refugees and other vulnerable groups. Flexible learning pathways address the needs of individuals who cannot attend traditional in-person classes, such as women and adults. This contemporary case study focuses on refugees and explores the success factors and challenges of online education, considering region-specific factors like language and culture that can affect implementation. The research includes insights from a pilot project funded by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the University of the People, aimed at improving higher education access for Syrian refugees. The study evaluates whether this project’s success can be applied to other refugee populations and offers policy recommendations for stakeholders. The study draws on a review of literature examining online higher education for Syrian refugees and identifying general success factors. Empirical evidence, particularly from the pilot project’s mid-term review, provides specific examples, though data from other sources were limited due to challenges in accessing essential information. The pilot project successfully helped Syrian refugees gain skills, enhance employment prospects, and develop a new identity as students, improving their self-worth and mental health. Challenges include communication issues, feelings of loneliness, and unstable living conditions for refugees, such as unreliable electricity and internet. Additional barriers are negative perceptions of online education and limited recognition of online degrees by host country governments, which affects employment opportunities. To address these issues, development cooperation projects should support online education providers in overcoming negative perceptions through strategic, evidence-based communication, enhancing the image of online education and improving refugees’ prospects.

Keywords: Higher education; Online learning; Displaced; Refugee education; Development cooperation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/978-981-96-1721-0_16

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