The aim of the event is to highlight the achievements of refugees in the context of higher education and the added value they bring to Austrian higher education institutions and society. The aim is to counter the often negative discourse about refugees with a positive narrative and to show what opportunities can arise through participation and inclusion of refugees. Moreover, we would like to use the event to highlight synergies and use them to improve our services for refugees.
The event will include keynote speeches by representatives of Austrian higher education institutions, a panel discussion with students with a refugee background and experts as well as a small evening reception. We were able to win Johann Bacher, Sonja Falkner-Matzinger (Johannes Kepler University Linz) and Birgit Hernády (FH JOANNEUM University of Applied Sciences) for the keynote speeches. For the panel discussion we are happy to welcome Haia Haddad, student of the bachelor's programme in Business, Economics and Social Sciences (WU), the refugee researcher Dr. Judith Kohlenberger (WU) and the head of UNHCR Austria, Dr. Christoph Pinter.
During the breaks and the evening reception representatives of different organisations in the area of integration, flight and participation will present their offers and services at information desks and offer a forum for networking and exchange.
Please register by 29 March at http://oead.at/gefluechtete-an-hochschulen.