Bard College plans to have 425 students pursuing in-person degrees at its main and branch campuses, as well as online degrees in collaboration with Parami University in Myanmar. The support from the intergovernmental peace organization aims to achieve a goal of having 15% of young refugees enrolled in higher education by 2030. Bard College, acting on behalf of the Open Society University Network, participated in the second Global Refugee Forum held in Geneva, Switzerland.
The College is actively involved in co-leading the UNHCR's 15by30 Multistakeholder Pledge on behalf of OSUN. OSUN's collaborative efforts have positively affected more than 80,000 refugees and displaced youth since the establishment of the network. Jonathan Becker, the vice president for academic affairs and director of the Center for Civic Engagement at Bard, serves as a co-lead for the 15by30 Multistakeholder Pledge. During the forum, he discussed the mutual advantages of reaching the goal of having 15% of refugees in higher education by the year 2030.
"What Bard and OSUN engage in is certainly not mere 'do-gooderism', we collaborate with exceptionally talented young individuals worldwide, enriching the educational experience for all our students", stated Jonathan Becker. Rebecca Granato, co-chair of the UNHCR Global Task Force on Education Pathways and associate vice president for Global Initiatives at Bard, emphasized that Bard has a longstanding history of incorporating refugees and displaced individuals into its classrooms. Presently, the institution extends the reach of liberal arts and sciences education into refugee camps across East Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia.
"Providing education to those impacted by displacement is not only integral to our civic mission but also directly contributes to the enrichment of experiences for enrolled Bard and OSUN students. The presence of inspiring and talented individuals from diverse corners of the world enhances the educational environment for everyone involved". Additionally, several OSUN partners, including Sciences Po, SOAS, Bard College Berlin, the American University of Afghanistan, and Arizona State University, have made substantial commitments to broaden refugee access to higher education.
