Education Pathways Ireland

Context

As of 2021, Uganda hosted over 1.5 million refugees and asylum-seekers (mainly from South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Burundi), making it the largest refugee-hosting country in Sub-Saharan Africa. Access to higher education for refugees remains extremely limited. In 2022, only 6 percent of refugees globally had access to higher education, compared to the global tertiary enrolment average of 42 percent. Refugees in the East, Horn of Africa and Great Lakes region faced even greater exclusion, with a gross enrolment rate in tertiary education of just 2.1 percent in 2023.

Solution
Education Pathways Ireland is a government-funded programme delivered in partnership with UNHCR and Nasc. It offers master's-level scholarships to refugees for select courses at three Irish universities: University of Galway, University College Dublin (UCD), and University College Cork (UCC). Launched in 2022, the programme functions as a complementary pathway, providing a legal and safe route that enables refugees to move to a third country and access higher education opportunities that are often unavailable in their countries of first asylum. It focuses on refugees living in contexts like Uganda, where access to education and employment is severely restricted.

The scholarship covers both financial support (tuition, travel, visa, accommodation, monthly stipend, health insurance, and local transportation) and non-financial assistance (mentoring, psychosocial support, and help with settling in). Aligned with the University of Sanctuary Initiative, it enables recipients to study in Ireland, gain skills in sectors with skills shortages, and work towards a brighter future. Selection is open to academically qualified refugees residing in Uganda, with some placements (e.g., at UCD) reserved exclusively for female candidates. A distinctive feature is the involvement of Community Sponsorship Groups (CSGs), made of local volunteers who assist students with integration, orientation, and social support throughout their stay.

Impact
The programme is relatively new, with seven refugee scholars supported so far from Uganda and Nigeria. While formal outcome evaluations are not yet available, potential impacts include improved career prospects for participants, increased access to international education for marginalised refugee populations, and strengthened ties between higher education institutions and humanitarian efforts. Testimonials highlight the importance of community support in easing cultural transition and enhancing students’ sense of belonging. Further evaluations and assessments are needed to identify the actual outcomes of this intervention and to better illustrate the real impact of such programmes.

Education Pathways Ireland is a targeted and replicable model. The program consists of academic funding, psychosocial support, and integration via community groups, which can be adapted to other countries with strong higher education infrastructure and refugee resettlement frameworks. The inclusion of female-specific scholarships at institutions like UCD reflects a gender-sensitive approach that promotes equitable access. However, the program's reliance on community-based support mechanisms presents challenges to scalability. For the programme to expand effectively, considerations around resource allocation, volunteer engagement, and infrastructure development would need to be addressed. Still, the design demonstrates how partnerships between universities, civil society, and government can offer solutions for displaced learners and fill gaps in global education equity.