Navigating the higher education system in a different country has never been easy – especially for refugees. Understanding the complex eligibility criteria, going through the application process, writing powerful personal statements, collecting, translating and preparing the required documents and submitting an error-free application is challenging for learners wanting to access higher education.
To tackle this, PADILEIA has launched a new mentoring programme in Jordan and Lebanon, helping Syrian refugee students and local students to apply for a scholarship and access a higher education course.
The Partnership for Digital Learning and Increased Access (PADILEIA) produces and delivers blended higher education programmes to Syrian refugee students and local students in Jordan and Lebanon. Students can access curricula that provide micro-credentials in relevant fields, augmented by student support services and pathways into locally-delivered formal academic qualifications. The partnership aims to broaden access to high-quality educational programmes, provide a foundation for further higher education and prepare students for their futures.
Working with the Syrian Association for Education Development, PADILEIA’s new mentoring programme provides one-to-one tailored support for PADILEIA students wanting to apply for a HOPES-LEB scholarship and start their undergraduate studies.
The programme ran from 10 to 31 August 2020, with 4 hours of direct contact each week. 23 students were supported by 23 Arabic-speaking professionals who were scholarship recipients themselves. The mentors guided PADILEIA students to prepare their documents, write their personal statements, and complete and submit their application.
Through direct online mentoring – involving audio and video calls on Zoom, chat on WhatsApp, and working on living documents via Google drive – mentors and mentees worked through the application and the required documents in detail, making sure that everything was submitted correctly and on time. The effort paid off – in total, 22 of the 23 students managed to successfully submit their applications on time.
Looking ahead there are plans to build on this success: the programme is planned to run around major scholarship opportunities in Lebanon and Jordan throughout 2021 for PADILEIA students.