Open Society University Network Hubs for Connected Learning Initiatives

Applications are now open for the Realizing Higher Education Access Program (RhEAP) in Kakuma.

RhEAP is a 10–12-month program that helps students who have completed secondary school prepare for university.

Classes are taught in English and include academic writing, critical thinking, digital literacy, science literacy, and more. Students also earn up to 32 transferable credits from Bard College and receive a certificate recognized by universities around the world.

You are encouraged to apply if you are based in Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya, have a displacement background, a KCSE of at least C– (or equivalent), and have not started or completed a bachelor’s degree.

Apply via the link in our bio

students and alumni can now book an appointment to speak to our Global Engagement Fellows.

If you have questions related to Civic Engagement, student-led projects and support, including monthly civic engagement workshops and how to get involved, .au and Robert Claudio are here to answer your questions!

Check out their contacts on the poster and email them to book an appointment during their office hours.

We are excited to announce that the Open Society University Network (OSUN) has become the for the 21st Century (GHEA21).

While the name has changed, the mission remains the same: building innovative, reciprocal partnerships that expand access and reimagine global higher education.

Stay tuned for more updates by subscribing to GHEA21 Newsletter, link in the description

Ahead of and , we celebrate our global community of students, alumni, facilitators, and staff. Over 1,000 members and counting, demonstrating resilience, hard work, and contributing to the creation of more welcoming and inclusive communities and society.

This year’s WRD theme as stated by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency is “Solidarity with Refugees: Building a world where refugees are welcomed.”

Maysam Alhaj, who will begin her studies at in Washington DC, USA this coming fall, is one of the many Hubs for Connected Learning Initiatives’ alumni who have been accepted at leading universities worldwide.

From fleeing conflict in her home country to spending over a decade in Jordan as displaced person, Maysam never gave up on her dreams of pursuing higher education and her passion for healthcare policymaking and advocacy in favor of marginalized communities.

She expresses her excitement for her new journey in the USA and as a the article linked in our bio 🔗

The is offering two Online Course summer sessions with over 30 classes focusing on a wide range of liberal arts and sciences topics.

From climate finance to civic responsibility to the role of music in political resistance, many courses provide rare interdisciplinary takes on important contemporary issues. Other classes provide equally fascinating analyses of literary and historical topics, including colonialism and the Middle Ages.

’s students eligible for network courses are invited to apply.

More details in bio 🔗

From a student to becoming the Civic Engagement Coordinator for the , reflects on his journey in the Realising Higher Education Access Program (RhEAP).

“When I joined the Hubs and enrolled in RhEAP, I hoped to get into university and continue my education but what I got exceeded all my expectations. I was able to identifying my passion for cultural diversity and cultural heritage preservation, to influence and inspire change, and to create a positive impact in my community.” He says.

Shukri Mohamed is now the Founder of Cultural Diversity Intervention Project and is currently pursuing an associate degree at . With a strong passion for education, civic engagement, and digital storytelling, Shukri is dedicated to empowering refugee communities and creating positive social change through cultural diversity initiatives and preservation of cultural heritage.

Join us in celebrating Shukri Mohamed Ibrahim’s achievements and wishing him the best for the future 👏

Why are the majority of refugees in Kakuma and Kalobeyei refugee camps in north–west Kenya resistant to the Kenyan government’s new official policy of integration with the local community?

In late 2024, ahead of the official launch of Shirika Plan by the , , an alumna of the Hubs for Connected Learning Initiatives’ Refugee Higher Education Access Program conducted research on this topic.

Her paper explores this question through personal interviews, focus group discussions with a selection of refugees in the two settlement complexes, and a review of secondary literature.

It was published as a result of Nyariel’s training with the Rift Valley Institute’s (RVI) Research Community of Practice (RCoP) Project, a partnership carried out with funding from the Hubs for Connected Learning Initiatives.

Overall, the findings in this paper suggest that integration is a complex process shaped by social and environmental factors, rather than a one-off process that occurs on the whim of external actors and their imagined preferences for ‘helpless’ refugee populations.

Read on 👉 link in bio

Join us in Kakuma Refugee Camp for a workshop with , Senior Vice President, Legal, Head of Privacy & Data Strategy at one of the biggest media companies in the world.

She will talk about the fast-evolving field of Global Data Privacy, her unconventional career path, and what it’s like to work behind the scenes on the business side of Hollywood.

Don’t miss the chance to gain insight from a top industry leader.

Join us at on April 8, 2024.

are hosting a film screening in Kakuma refugee camp this April 8, 2025.

The film, based on research on access to decent work among refugees and the incentive labor situation in Kenya was produced by researchers and filmmakers at , a refugee-led film initiative based in Kakuma Refugee Camp.

Following the screening will be a panel discussion, led by the filmmakers, that will discuss the current situation regarding refugees’ access to decent workin Kenya, the policies and laws that regulate incentive labor, and what the legal and human rights institutions say about it.

If you happen to be in Kakuma, join us at at 1:00pm EAT.

🎯 invites suitable and qualified refugee youth to apply for the 2026-27 academic year intake for the Student Refugee Program (SRP). The SRP is a unique program that combines resettlement to Canada with access to post-secondary education for young refugees. It is managed by WUSC, a leading non-profit Canadian international development agency.

Eligibility Criteria (Eligible countries include Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, and Uganda. Please check the specific requirements for your country)

- Have original UNHCR Proof of Registration and Government’s Refugee Identification Card.
- Be between 18-25 years old as of January 1, 2025 (applicants must be born no earlier than January 1, 2000, and no later than January 1, 2007);
- Be eligible and suitable for resettlement under the criteria of Canada’s Private Sponsorship of Refugees program;
- Have completed secondary school and already in possession of original Secondary School certificates and result slips, and any other academic documents at the time of application
- Be competent in English or French (oral and written competence);
- Be single (unmarried) with no children;
- Facing barriers to accessing or completing undergraduate education;
- Self-reliant, mature, and suitable for integration into Canada as an individual.

Application is open from February 7 until February 21, 2025, for Jordan, Kenya, and Lebanon.

The application for Uganda is open from February 10 until March 7, 2025.

More info and application form link in bio 🔗