The project

European Commission, Erasmus + / KA2 - Capacity Building in Higher Education

610023-EPP-1-2019-1-DZ-EPPKA2-CBHE-SP

Professor. Naouel ABDELLATIF MAMI. Vice-Rector in charge of External Relations. US2, Mohamed Lamine Debaghine University - Sétif 2, Algeria

European
partners:

• UR, La Rioja University - Spain, P6
• UDC, University of A Coruña - Spain, P7
• UNIMED, Union of Mediterranean Universities, Italy, P8
• UNIBG, University of Bergamo, Italy, P9
• UP1, University Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne, France, P10

Algerian partners:

• MESRS, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, P2
• UKMO, Kasdi Merbah University - Ouargla, P3
• UAMB, Abderahamane Mira University - Bejaïa, P4
• UMMTO, Mouloud Maameri University - Tizi-Ouzou, P5

From January 15, 2020 to January 14, 2023

The project aims to create institutional capacities for the integration of refugees in Algerian higher education (University - University & University - Society Cooperation). The project is considered as a pilot experiment which proposes, on the one hand, the reorganization of the organic and functional structure of the higher education institutions that are partners of the project in order to respond to the current problems of effective integration of refugees within the institutions of the higher education, and on the other hand the development of normative and institutional mechanisms promoting the integration of this category into higher education.

* Strengthen the knowledge and skills of academic and administrative staff for better care of refugees at the university;

* Develop concrete integration measures for refugees wishing to integrate the Algerian higher education system through a prospective study of the needs and difficulties of refugees at all levels of integration;

* Rewrite and reformulate the internal regulations of partner HEIs through the introduction of provisions relating to the status of refugees, their rights and obligations to better define access, the organization of the training course and the integration of refugees into the university life;

* Develop a reception system for refugees within ESS partner  through the creation of a centralized office at the level of the vice-rectorates in charge of external relations whose mission is to take care of refugees as well as annex offices, at the level of each faculty, attached to the vice rector in charge of international relations in all the partner universities;

* Create a committee responsible for the academic and professional support of refugees during their training course;

* Create and regulate institutional measures for the enhancement of the diplomas and skills of refugees, through the recognition of credits, the system of equivalence of diplomas, and their scientific skills .

* Strengthen the government's will in favor of refugees through the participation of the Algerian Ministry of Higher Education in the insertion of these measures into the already existing regulatory system;

* Promote access to employment for refugees through the creation of a support system for refugees towards employment by mobilizing the public employment service and the employer who will work with the university career center  and professional liaison office;

* Help promote refugee culture and intercultural dialogue through partnership with civil society and the local community through the organization of cultural and sporting activities.

-For each WP, there is a coordination tandem: coordinator and co-coordinator

-All partners must contribute to all activities

-Three (03) development WP and Three (03) transversal WP: Quality / Dissemination / Management.

-Overall consistency between all WP.

WP1: Data collection and identification and selection of good practices
WP2: Development: Capacity building through theoretical courses, practical workshops and advanced training courses
WP3: Development: Operational practice of integration of refugees.
WP4: Dissemination and exploitation of results
WP5: Quality plan
WP6: Project management and management

The Ci-RES project "Creation of Institutional Capacities for the Integration of Refugees in Higher Education is a national structural project (region 3) which responds to Algerian national priorities for category 2 on" the improvement of management and actions at the level of higher education institutions ". It touches on the national theme "university services" and this through the creation and / or reformulation of the services of the Algerian university institutions that are partners of the project (in particular) and of all the Algerian universities (in general) through the involvement of the Algerian MESRS which, through its decision-making power, will ensure the application of the measures proposed by the Ci-RES consortium at the level of national university services.

The project attempts to offer new university services through the creation of an office dedicated to supporting and monitoring refugees through the creation of an institutional guide and internal regulations. The members of the refugee monitoring service will be affiliated with the vice rectorate in charge of external relations of Algerian universities and will work in close collaboration with the professional liaison service of the university.

At the regional level, and still in category 2, the project touches on the priority of "equity, access to, and democratization of higher education through the integration of vulnerable groups, peoples and regions. . It attaches particular importance to the question of refugees and their social and professional integration in general and within universities in particular. The role of the ministry as main partner would be to legitimize and regulate the actions undertaken by the consortium in order to generalize them to all Algerian universities. The project proposes a prospective study of the situation of refugees which transcends the current workforce in higher education in order to propose effective and lasting measures for future generations of refugees currently attending primary school. , in middle and secondary school and which are growing rapidly every year. According to the World Education Report 201 9, the school-age refugee population could reach 22% by 2030.

The project makes it possible to highlight the difficulties of integration at the level of each  Algerian higher establishment partner at the social, academic and professional level and offers concrete solutions through training, service and cultural, sports and professional activities. These activities affect the three main categories of the university community: 1 refugees, 2. academic staff and 3. administrative staff. And will work in close collaboration with NGOs and civil society.

Finally, it proposes operational measures through the creation of the office for refugee affairs and  internal regulations.

- Access for disadvantaged people

- Integration of refugees

- Equity

Also promote the horizontal policies of the European Union which are:

- Culture, education and youth,

- Employment and social rights,

- Justice, Home Affairs and citizens' rights, transversal policies,

- External Relations and Foreign Affairs

Thus, the project promotes regional integration and cooperation between partner countries through joint initiatives to share good practices and cooperation projects.

According to UNHCR data, some 98% of refugee children aged 6 to 13 attended school in the camps. Nearly 1,800 teachers have benefited from incentives. 40,000 educated Sahrawi refugees are distributed among 9 secondary schools, 6 primary schools and a kindergarten located in the camps of Smara, El Ayoune, Aswerd, Dakhla and Boujdour.

From high school, young Sahrawis leave the camps to study in various universities in Algeria where they often find themselves at a disadvantage. Despite the help of Algerian students to accompany them in everyday life, according to the international relations offices of the universities, they have difficulty integrating because of their level of French and the problems encountered with the different communities. refugees of other nationalities.

Young refugees are confronted with the absence of socio-cultural activities and the impossibility of finding a job despite their diplomas, which causes significant frustration among many of these young people who find it difficult to accept the usefulness of a complete education. for a result of life often poor in terms of access to interesting and paid employment positions.

The number of refugees enrolled in Algerian partner universities: Sétif 2 (35 refugees), Ouargla (70), Bejaia (65) and Tizi Ouzou (30) demonstrates the need to establish an institutional process integrated into the settlement project. of each university at the national level allowing the integration of refugees in all Algerian universities, numbering 107 with more than 5,000 refugee students on average. The Ci-RES activities also constitute an opportunity to strengthen social and intercultural dialogue.

The role of the ministry would be to regulate the actions carried out by the project in order to offer employment opportunities by working with socio-economic partners. It will also allow the transfer of results to higher levels in the government hierarchy in order to support the bill being prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

At the end of the project, a number of results will be achieved and can be listed as follows:

1. The Rules of Procedure: These will define the rights and obligations of refugee students. They will be established on the basis of a student life contract between the establishment and the refugee students. This contract will be essentially based on the notion of respect: self-respect, respect for others and respect for the living environment. The regulations will allow every refugee student, every legal guardian and every member of the university staff to commit  respect and enforcing this contract. The rules of procedure will ensure to pay attention to the particular situation of refugees within each university establishment. It will also include articles related to outdoor activities, as part of educational outings, sporting events, language trips, etc.

2. The practical guide: this guide is intended to be sufficiently open to clearly address the advantages and difficulties of student life for refugees. It will include elements relating to the administrative aspect, access to the university and its faculties, specialties, academic backgrounds but also administrative, psychological and professional support for refugee students. In order to enrich the practical guide, the vocabularies of the guide will be developed with the participation of all target groups and will be open to enrichment.

3. The office in charge of refugee students: 04 offices in total, each office will be dedicated to the reception of refugee students at the level of the vice rectorate in charge of external relations of each partner university. It will allow the reception of refugees at the university as well as support on all levels of progression. Algerian students will also be able to work with this office through student clubs in order to support these refugees in their integration process.

4. The annex offices in charge of refugee students at the level of the vice-deans in charge of international relations at the faculty level: 33 offices in total which will be annex offices depending on the main office at the level of the rectorate, but which will form reference offices for refugee students at faculty level in order to allow faster and more effective support according to the specific needs of the students and their academic profile.

5. Directly trained administrative staff (10) who will be able to provide administrative support for registered refugees for future years: this will be a multiplier result since the personnel will have the skills necessary for the effective administrative support of refugees. This will make it possible to improve the services of the university as a main national priority and then, it will be able to participate in training other administrators within the university and also other Algerian universities.

6. Qualified academic staff (10) who will be able to rewrite the content of the training modules offered to students according to new learning and teaching methods: Academic staff will be able to participate in the reform of higher education through reformulation and modernization of existing teaching modules in order to allow access to other vulnerable categories in higher education. Training in APC, APS and The Intercultural Approach will enable teachers to meet the requirements of quality training adapted to the needs of learners, and in particular refugee students.

7. Refugee students directly trained (20) in pedagogical knowledge, administrative procedures and also support and psychological support for better integration in universities in Algeria.

8. An online MOOC platform dedicated to distance learning which aligns with the strategy for modernizing learning and teaching methods based on new information and communication technologies proposed by the Ministry of 'Higher Education. This platform will also be able to encourage other forms of internationalization at home, such as the Erasmus + Virtual Exchange program of the European Union and in which Sétif 2 University participates as a pilot university thanks to the UNIMED network.

9. Upstream work with civil society and the Ministry. Ci-RES will make  possible to form a nucleus made up of members of civil society, NGOs, etc. who will be able to participate in improving the life of refugee students in universities and to participate in the integration of this category in higher education, in particular and in society at large.

Prof. Naouel Abdellatif Mami

Project coordinator

Vice-Rector in charge of External Relations

Phone: 036 66 11 82

E-mail: dr.abdellatifnaouel@yahoo.fr

Setif 2 University 

Setif, Algeria