For those forced to leave their countries and homes because of war, famine or persecution participation in higher education can support positive engagement with a new country and culture. However, HEIs need to understand the specific challenges that refugees encounter and work with them to explore and develop provision that is truly supportive and promotes shared learning. This online NERUPI session is an opportunity to consider how universities can support access to and successful participation in undergraduate provision.

Mir Abdullah Miri from the University of Bath will ask 'Why don't more refugees make it through the door?' Universities often celebrate belonging and inclusion once refugee students are enrolled, but little is done to support them before entry. Drawing on lived experience and recent research, he will highlight the barriers that keep refugees out and argue that widening participation must start earlier, through practical partnerships and door-opening interventions, if universities are serious about inclusion.

Dr Anna Varadi will be discussing the Cardiff University Aspire programme - critical to the institution’s University of Sanctuary mission. Aspire provides bespoke services for sanctuary seekers looking to enter UK HE, including an open day, a summer school, scholarships for asylum seekers on lifelong learning access programmes, and, historically, English tuition and exam support. This talk will highlight how collaborative delivery and the holistic way in which Aspire activities work together, fostering transition from one element to the next, develops learners’ confidence and sense of belonging at Cardiff University, in turn facilitating their next steps into HE.

Alex Ferguson, Lead Officer for the Plus Programme at the University of Leeds, will outline how Sanctuary Scholarships support access to higher education for forced migrants and asylum seekers. Delivered through the Plus Programme, these scholarships provide tuition fees, a maintenance award, and tailored guidance. Since 2018, more than 30 students have enrolled via this route, many of whom are ineligible for mainstream funding due to their immigration status. In this session, Alex will examine the role of personalised support and strategic partnerships in helping students engage with university life. He will also reflect on how targeted provision contributes to improved participation and progression outcomes.

View the agenda for this event here

Mir Abdullah Miri is a lecturer and education researcher specialising in inclusive refugee education, language and learning, and education in crisis settings. His work spans universities, international organisations, and NGOs, including the World Bank and British Council. His current research focuses on how refugees navigate education during displacement and resettlement, and how education systems can better adapt to meet their needs.

Dr Anna Váradi is Widening Participation Manager at Cardiff University, working with displaced and low-resource communities to support them in accessing HE. With a PhD in Media, Politics and History, she taught undergraduate and postgraduate students for 5 years at the Universities of Reading and Warwick and then served as Admissions Manager for a global scholarship at the Rhodes Trust, Oxford University. Currently, she manages the Aspire programme for sanctuary seekers, the Cowrie Scholarship for Black British undergraduates, and the Community Gateway campus visit for Minority Ethnic families, along with a supervisory role for other Widening Participation activities.

Alex Ferguson has been leading on the delivery of the University’s Sanctuary Scholarships since their inception in 2018. After their approval in 2024, he also led on the delivery of the University’s pilot of Gazan Humanitarian Scholarships, awarded to those displaced by the escalation of the conflict in 2023. As well as the funding, Alex and his team have developed the holistic package offered to scholars to improve their chances of success on course.