Prof. Maria Amata Garito
International Telematic University UNINETTUNO
(Rector, President and Professor Emeritus of Psychotechnologies)
In a globalized and interconnected world, characterized by a technological revolution affecting all countries, and by a landmark event, involving Europe above all, which is linked to the largest migration in the history of mankind, the Universities must discover a new mission, a new role and a new function.
The problem of forced migrations challenges the whole society to find solution to enhance the integration of citizens coming from countries with different cultural, religious and social backgrounds. The new challenge for European institutions and for Italy, in particular, is represented by the increasing crisis of immigrants who comes from the of Arab World and Sub-Saharan Africa countries.
The International Telematic University UNINETTUNO decided to offer an active contribution by realizing “The University for Refugees – Education without Boundaries”, a multilingual portal (English, French, Italian, Arabic and Greek) which gives the possibility to refugees, asylum-seekers and immigrants to access the University for free from anywhere across the world.
The University for Refugees allows for the :
- Recognition of study titles previously earned in their countries of origin to access the University;
- Recognition of professional skills;
- Language learning: Italian, Arabic, English, German, Spanish, French, Dutch, Portuguese, Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Greek, Croatian, Hungarian, Polish, Rumanian, Slovak, Finnish, Swedish.
- Free enrolment in UNINETTUNO’s Degree, Master’s and Vocational Training and Re-Training Courses;
- Access to online services related to healthcare and to mutual rights and duties.
These students come from the following countries: Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Belarus, Burundi, Cameroun, Cote d’Ivoire, Eritrea, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Honduras, Libya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Central-African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Russia, Syria, Somalia, Togo, Turkey, Ukraine, Uganda. Most of these students are enrolled in the faculties of economics, engineering, communication sciences, psychology and law and to the following master’s courses: Master in Strategies and Techniques of Project Management and Master’s Course in European Law and Policies. At present, these students live mainly in the refugees camps in Lebanon and Turkey and some of them live in Germany and in Italy, of course.
The University for Refugees initiative perfectly fits the internationalization strategy of UNINETTUNO which has always been characterizing its identity and led the University to have students coming from 164 countries across the world.
The international cooperation relations, developed by UNINETTUNO and the active involvement of the lecturers of Universities of other countries of the world in realizing video lessons and Internet-based multimedia educational contents currently allow UNINETTUNO make available to its students a digital library including the contents produced by lecturers coming from countries destroyed by wars that, because of these, had to leave their own Universities of origin, as for example, lecturers coming from the Universities of Aleppo. The lecturers, who are now unable to deliver their lecturers at the university, thanks to UNINETTUNO, are still spreading their scientific expertise and their knowledge even to those same students who cannot meet them anymore and see them in the Universities where they used to deliver their courses.
Thanks to the UNINETTUNO University’s model, which is based on the Internet, with no more space and time limits, we are already developing a great laboratory for true integration, for enhancing good immigration, dialogue, the peaceful coexistence of peoples and the struggle against terrorism. The University for Refugees aims at promoting a true integration of refugees and immigrants, making them acquire skills and knowledge that enable them to constructively participate in the social, cultural and economic life of their hosting countries. Giving these opportunities means recognizing them their dignity and encouraging them to go ahead trusting mankind and hopefully build a better future for them. Only this way, jointly with them, we believe we will build a future of peace.
For more information: https://www.universitaperrifugiati.it/en/default.aspx