The opportunity gap remains significant

Despite increasing global awareness of refugee education, participation in higher education remains low. Heyer noted refugee enrolment rates of approximately 9%, a figure that highlights the scale of the challenge facing institutions worldwide.

She emphasised that expanding access can have far-reaching benefits, noting that "investing in higher education, especially in fragile countries, developing countries, has a disproportionate positive effect for those learners and communities".

For Marianne Knarud, Head of Office, Global University Academy, University of Oslo, increasing access requires a fundamental rethink of how higher education is delivered.

"We need to increase higher education opportunities for many refugees," she noted at the panel session. Achieving this, she argued, will require institutions to "rethink and reimagine how [they] can deliver higher education in a different way" while embracing educational innovation and breaking down silos that often slow progress.

"Talent is everywhere, but opportunities are not."

Understanding the barriers beyond admission

While universities frequently place inclusion at the centre of their mission and values, displaced learners often encounter obstacles that traditional students do not.

According to Ehab Badwi, Founder of the Syrian Youth Assembly, who spoke at the panel session, displaced learners often face a complex set of obstacles long before they enter a classroom. Language barriers, financial hardship and the challenge of integrating into new communities can all limit participation.

Many refugees must also navigate practical challenges, including lost academic records, limited support networks and uncertainty about their future, creating additional hurdles to accessing and succeeding in higher education.

Badwi also challenged institutions to recognise that displaced learners are not another category of international student: "There is a difference between international students and internationals with needs," he explained.

For example, many refugee students cannot return home during university breaks because of conflict or instability. Others may require additional support navigating legal, financial or personal challenges that traditional student services are not designed to address.

Heyer noted that refugee learners often face challenges simultaneously, rather than in isolated blocks. In addition to financial pressures and language differences, many must navigate unfamiliar education systems, gain recognition for prior qualifications and adapt to a new academic environment, sometimes while dealing with the effects of displacement or interrupted education.

Recognising these differences is essential if universities are serious about creating truly inclusive environments. As Heyer observed, supporting displaced learners requires more than providing a scholarship or access to existing services. Institutions must understand the additional and often amplified barriers refugee students face and ensure support is tailored accordingly.

Inclusion means designing with refugees, not for them

One of the strongest themes from the discussion was the importance of placing displaced learners at the heart of decision-making. Badwi argued that universities must move beyond designing support for refugees and instead work with them to shape programmes, policies and student services.

He explained that institutions should consider, "How do we include refugees in designing the education system?" For Badwi, meaningful inclusion depends on ensuring displaced learners have a voice in the systems intended to support them.

Too often, initiatives are developed based on assumptions rather than lived experience. Heyer argued that, drawing on insights from refugee student leaders and researchers, effective support systems must be shaped by the experiences of those they are intended to serve.

Universities, she said, should work directly with displaced learners to understand the challenges they face, what support they need and how services can be improved to better support their success.

"If we don't consult them, we are still ignoring the way to include those people," Badwi warned. Inclusion, according to him, cannot be achieved through access alone. It requires displaced learners to be active partners in shaping their educational experiences and the policies that affect them.

This perspective reflects a broader shift across the higher education sector from participation-focused approaches towards co-creation, where students are empowered to contribute to the design of services, support structures and institutional strategies.

For universities seeking to improve outcomes for displaced learners, listening to refugee voices is not simply good practice. It is essential to building more responsive, inclusive and effective educational environments.

Turning institutional values into action

While most universities have made public commitments to widening participation and fostering inclusion, the real challenge lies in turning those values into tangible outcomes for displaced learners. Knarud acknowledged that institutional regulations, funding limitations and administrative processes can sometimes create barriers to progress. However, she argued that these constraints should not become reasons for inaction.

"Most universities have some core values about being inclusive," she noted.

The next step, she suggested, is for institutions to examine what those values mean in practice. That requires asking difficult but necessary questions: What does meaningful inclusion look like in our context? What changes are needed to better support displaced learners? Which external partners can help us expand our impact? Are there opportunities to waive tuition fees, provide scholarships or offer additional academic and pastoral support?

Speaking after the panel, Heyer pointed to several initiatives that demonstrate how institutions can turn commitments into action. These include efforts to reduce tuition costs for refugee learners, develop alternative methods of recognising prior learning when academic records have been lost, and improve the collection of data on displaced student participation. Such measures, she suggested, can help remove barriers and create more inclusive pathways into higher education.

Rather than waiting for perfect solutions, Knarud encouraged universities to focus on what is possible today. Progress often begins with small, practical actions that remove barriers and create new opportunities for students.

Her message was one of pragmatism and optimism: by adopting a proactive, problem-solving mindset and focusing on what can be achieved, institutions can make meaningful strides towards greater inclusion. As she put it, the key is identifying "how much can be done with a can-do attitude" and recognising that even incremental steps can collectively drive significant change.

Access alone is not enough

As universities increasingly adopt online and hybrid learning models, technology offers new opportunities to reach displaced learners wherever they are. However, access to digital learning alone is not enough to guarantee success.

Knarud highlighted the "incredible potential" of technology to expand educational opportunities but cautioned against viewing access as the end goal. "If a course is mainly online, then what are the support mechanisms we can give?" she asked.

Heyer argued that effective support extends beyond scholarships and admissions. Institutions that successfully support displaced learners, she said, often have dedicated staff or departments focused on refugee inclusion, while ensuring services across the university are equipped to respond to the additional barriers these students may face.

"We can't just tick the access box," she added.

Instead, universities need to consider how localised support systems can be built around learners and what additional resources may be needed to help them succeed academically, socially and professionally.

Education as an investment in the future

The discussion also explored the wider social and economic impact of supporting displaced learners. For Badwi, higher education is ultimately about investing in people's futures — "Education means to invest now for the future."

Universities must also help learners develop the skills needed to navigate an evolving labour market. "Skills are important," Badwi said, noting that qualifications alone are often insufficient for securing employment. As increasing numbers of refugees return to their home countries, either voluntarily or through changing geopolitical circumstances, education can also play a vital role in rebuilding communities and strengthening social cohesion. In one of the session's most powerful reflections, Badwi described how "education could be a solution for internal peace".

The sentiment serves as a reminder that universities are not simply supporting individual learners. They are contributing to stronger societies and creating opportunities that can have lasting impact far beyond the campus.

A collective responsibility

Both the Budapest session and the follow-up conversation with Alanna Heyer emphasised that supporting displaced learners requires more than widening access to higher education. While universities play a central role, lasting progress depends on collaboration between institutions, governments, employers and civil society organisations.

The sector must continue to build partnerships, raise awareness of available opportunities and adapt to changing policy environments. Ultimately, the challenge extends beyond any single institution and demands a coordinated response.

For institutions seeking to widen participation and strengthen their social impact, the message is clear: opening doors is only the first step. True inclusion means creating the conditions for learners to thrive throughout their educational journey.