Perspectives – Studies is advocating for equal access to higher education for refugees in Switzerland
The project was launched in 2016 by the Swiss Student Union VSS. It is based on claims that were developed in a participatory process with refugees, students interested in studying and regular students. The first step was to develop this website, which has been offering a unique information platform on the topic of university access for refugees for various target audiences since 2018. The launch of the project and the website in particular was supported by various ambassadors.
In the current project phase (2022-2026), the project is focussing on the following areas :
Information, awareness-raising & political advocacy
- Information and counselling for refugees and professionals interested in studying
- Raising awareness among education and integration professionals and politicians
- Collaboration with politicians for political initiatives so that refugees are recognised and supported as potential students
Support for projects at universities
- Advice for Swiss universities on setting up and developing programmes for refugees
- Financial support for university projects through the ‘University Projects’ fund (German or French)
Support during studies
- Search for funding opportunities at the interfaces of scholarship, social service and funding foundations
- Acquisition of funding foundations for individual assistance for students with a refugee background
You can find an overview of our activities in our flyer (German or French) and in the annual reports (German or French).
Here you can find our privacy policy (in German).
TEAM
Sabine Zurschmitten | Project coordinator & responsible politics
Nora Burla | Project coordinator & responsible communication
Chiara Franchini | Project assistant
SUPPORT
1) Funding partners
- Federal Commission on Migration (EKM)
- Stiftung Mercator Schweiz
- Volkart Stiftung
- Sophie und Karl Binding Stiftung
Other funding partners explicitly support the ‘University Projects’ fund (German and French)
2) Advisory board
Since the project was launched in 2016, Perspectives – Studies has been advised and supported by an advisory board consisting of representatives of the State Secretariat for Migration SEM, the Federal Commission on Migration FCM, swissuniversities, Horizon académique Geneva, Profunda and AGAB, the Mercator Switzerland Foundation and the Swiss Refugee Council (SFH).
3) Innovage Bern-Solothurn
Innovage Bern-Solothurn supported Perspektiven – Studium in the conceptualisation and fundraising for the third project phase. Innovage is a network of retired professionals who want to pass on their knowledge and support charitable organisations.
NETWORK
Together we are stronger – that’s why we work together with various organisations and stakeholders:
1) University projects
- Projects at various Swiss universities
- INVOST integration pre-study programme at universities of applied sciences – another third-party funded VSS project in collaboration with the HES-SO (French) and the FHNW School of Engineering
2) Swiss Confederation
3) Vocational, study and career counselling