Sitemap

European Qualifications Passport for Refugees to Bring New Opportunities To The Refugee Population In Serbia

CorD Recommends

Regenerative Agriculture: Key to Serbia’s Future and Response to Climate Change

The inaugural conference on regenerative agriculture has...

Belgrade Marks European Day with Vibrant Celebration of Linguistic Diversity

In celebration of the European Day of...

Professor Rasulić Elected General Secretary of European Neurosurgical Association

Professor Lukas Rasulić, a full professor at...

Flutter Acquires Majority Stake in MaxBet for €141 Million

The world's largest online betting company, Flutter, has secured a majority ownership in MaxBet, a leading entity in the...

Record Employment Numbers in Montenegro

Montenegro has recorded its highest-ever employment rate, with the number of employed individuals reaching 258,000 in July, announced Prime...

Google Marks its 25th Anniversary

The world’s foremost internet search engine, Google, celebrated its 25th birthday in grand style, presenting a special logo to...

Regenerative Agriculture: Key to Serbia’s Future and Response to Climate Change

The inaugural conference on regenerative agriculture has been held today in Belgrade, organized by FIC Serbia in collaboration with...

Serbia’s Complex Role: US Ambassador Highlights Western Alignment Amid Crisis

During a period of European crisis and distinctive security and political architecture, Serbia plays a highly complex role, stated...

The European Qualifications Passport for Refugees is a specially developed assessment scheme for refugees, even for those who cannot fully document their qualifications, providing an assessment of the higher education qualifications based on available documentation and a structured interview. The importance of such a scheme was discussed in Belgrade today, with participation of Drahoslav Štefánek, the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Migration and Refugees, Council of Europe.

“I am happy to host this evet at our premises, as it turns spotlight on a very important aspect of refugee´s life“, said Ambassador of the Slovak Republik to Serbia, Fedor Rosocha in his opening statement. „I welcome all efforts of the Council of Europe and UNHCR/UN agencies to improve the chances of this vulnerable group of people for their integration and progression towards employment or further studies.“

“The European Qualifications Passport for Refugees is a unique instrument providing refugees with an assessment of qualifications that cannot be fully documented. The passport methodology is based on the Lisbon Recognition Convention concerning Higher Education in Europe of the Council of Europe which Serbia joined 2004. We are looking forward to refugees being able to fully enjoy their rights and freedoms, including to continue their studies or find a job related to their education in Serbia or elsewhere in Europe“, said Tobias Flessenkemper, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade.

“We are very pleased that Council of Europe, Ministry of Education, Agency for Qualifications and National Employment Service and UNHCR will bring new opportunities to the refugee population in Serbia through the European Qualifications Passport for Refugees. This is an important document for refugee students, if they decide to continue studies here or work with their previously acquired qualifications which are now going to be recognised”, Francesca Bonelli, UNHCR Representative said.

Drahoslav Štefánek, Special Representative of the Council of Europe Secretary General on Migration and Refugees, highlighted that the European Qualifications Passport for Refugees (EQPR) is a tool to promote the integration of refugees which is included in the new Council of Europe Action Plan on Protecting Vulnerable Persons in the Context of Migration and Asylum in Europe (2021-2025). “For instance, the EQPR helped find qualified refugees in the health sector during the pandemic, and only last week a training module was held for credentials evaluators assessing the qualifications of Afghan nationals”, added Mr Štefánek.

Snežana Vuković, Head of Sector for Human and Minority Rights in Education, Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia said that the Republic of Serbia has become an example in the European educational space in the field of education of migrants and asylum seekers through inclusive educational practice.

As she explained, since 2017, educational and psycho-social support in the process of education and upbringing has been provided for migrant students in schools. Since education is a basic human right, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development has regulated this area by adopting expert guidance for the inclusion of refugee students / asylum seekers in the education system, but also improving the legal framework. So far, over 4,500 migrant students have successively passed through the education system. Applying the Professional Instruction, over 3,000 individual support plans for migrant students were developed, 115 support plans at the school level, over 10,000 additional hours of learning the Serbian language were held, peer support in learning was provided.

Related

H.E. Fedor Rosocha, Ambassador of Slovakia to Serbia

Ambassador Fedor Rosocha: Recognising Kosovo’s Independence Is No Condition For Serbia

Within Chapter 35 there are particular criteria that have to be fulfilled regarding the normalisation process with Priština, but recognition per se is not...

Francesca Bonelli, UNHCR Representative In Serbia

Pandemic Response Must Be Inclusive

UNHCR will continue to assist Serbia in keeping the response to the COVID pandemic sensitive and inclusive, also for refugees and people in need...

At all levels of education, refugee enrolment is lower than that of non-refugees. The picture rapidly worsens as refugee children get older. UNHCR and partners have set an ambitious target globally, of 15 per cent for refugee enrolment at the tertiary level by 2030. The good news is that the most recent enrolment level for higher education is at 5 per cent, up from 3 per cent year-on-year and 1 per cent only a few years ago.

Serbia has also contributed to this trend. Following months of preparation for entrance exams supported by UNHCR partners, advocacy and communications with academic institutions, four young refugees, including two former unaccompanied and separated children from Afghanistan, a young man from Libya and a young woman from Burundi succeeded in enrolling into Belgrade Universities.

They represent a very important progress in Serbia of access to higher education for refugees .

Government of Serbia has highlighted the inclusion of children and youth from the refugee population in higher education as one of its pledges at the 2019 Global Refugee Forum.

Photo:© Europe’s Human Rights Watchdog

Related Articles

Flutter Acquires Majority Stake in MaxBet for €141 Million

The world's largest online betting company, Flutter, has secured a majority ownership in MaxBet, a leading entity in the realms of sports betting and...

Serbia’s Complex Role: US Ambassador Highlights Western Alignment Amid Crisis

During a period of European crisis and distinctive security and political architecture, Serbia plays a highly complex role, stated US Ambassador Christopher Hill at...

Belgrade Marks European Day with Vibrant Celebration of Linguistic Diversity

In celebration of the European Day of Languages, marked annually since 2001 across all European countries, the Children's Cultural Centre Belgrade, in collaboration with...

Professor Rasulić Elected General Secretary of European Neurosurgical Association

Professor Lukas Rasulić, a full professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, a neurosurgeon at the Clinic for Neurosurgery of the University...

Jelena Begović, Minister Of Science, Technological Development And Innovation

Human Capital Is The Foundation Of Development

We believe that the future BIO4 ecosystem will help with the growth of GDP, the reducing of unemployment and the attracting of experts from...

Eighth Italian-Serbian Film Festival Celebrates Cinematic Bonds

The eighth Italian-Serbian Film Festival has been ceremoniously inaugurated with the premiere of the Italian-American feature "Tell It Like a Woman" at the Yugoslav...

Humanitarian Football Tournament ‘Diplomats for Children’ Kicks Off in Serbia

The humanitarian football tournament "Diplomats for Children," featuring 16 teams from diplomatic representations in Serbia and Serbian state institutions, has kicked off at the...

Serbia and France Sign Series of Agreements to Bolster Bilateral Ties

Serbia and France have inked four pivotal documents set to bolster bilateral ties, according to an announcement from the Serbian government. The signed agreements include...