A master's degree program is often a great challenge for refugees from African countries - but it can also be a great opportunity. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is therefore launching the scholarship program "Leadership for Africa" to enable young talents from countries with high numbers of refugees to pursue a master's degree in Germany. Funded by the Federal Foreign Office (FFO), refugees and prospective students from Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and Sudan can initially participate. The FFO supports the programme with around 2.5 million euros per year.

The DAAD has launched a follow up initiative to the successful HOPES programme (Higher and Further Education Opportunities and Perspectives for Syrians). The new HOPES-LEB initiative sponsored by the European Union (EU) with 8.4 million Euro aims at enabling vulnerable members of the host community and Syrian refugees in Lebanon to pursue higher education and acquire additional skills.

Bonn, 11.11.2016. A total of 221 Syrian students with a scholarship of the “Leadership for Syria” programme started to study at a German university in the winter semester 2015/16. The programme is run by the DAAD with funds from the Federal Foreign Office and the State of North Rhine-Westphalia. Master degree students and doctoral candidates are obliged to take part in a supporting programme designed to familiarise them with social, political, academic and economic structures of free democratic legal systems. The University of Konstanz has been selected by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) to conduct the blended learning programme for its scholarship holders. Irrespective of the degree subject studied, the 2-semester course teaches skills and competencies required for future reconstruction of the country.

Bonn, 24.10.2016. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding. The aim is to create new prospects for Syrian refugees through access to higher education in the MENA region and Turkey. DAAD, the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis, the 'Madad Fund' and UNHCR are working together to pool their capacities to reach a higher impact for their HOPES project (DAAD) and the DAFI (UNHCR) scholarship program.

The number of refugees wishing to study in Germany is increasing. This poses new challenges for universities and associations for student affairs. Despite many years of experience in the integration of international students, specific questions naturally arise with regard to refugees.