Supporting Immigrants in Higher Education in Finland (SIMHE-UniPID)
Main funder
Funder's project number: OKM/387/523/2015
Funds granted by main funder (€)
- 200 000,00
Funding program
Project timetable
Project start date: 01/01/2016
Project end date: 31/08/2017
Summary
UniPID realized a project titled Supporting Immigrants in Higher Education in Finland (SIMHE) from March 2016 to August 2017. The project was funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture (MEC). SIMHE acted as a pilot project for MEC`s national initiative to reinforce Finnish higher education institutions (HEIs) as significant stakeholders in migrants' integration. The project co-operated with a simultaneous pilot project of Metropolia University of Applied Sciences.
SIMHE-UniPID provided guidance and counselling for migrant adults living in Finland and interested in beginning higher education studies. The focus in SIMHE guidance was to support counselees' own aspirations to find meaningful education and career paths to proceed with their lives and to integrate. In many cases, and due to increased number of refugees to Europe and Finland in autumn 2015, the counselee was an asylum seeker looking for opportunities to continue his or her interrupted academic studies and to adjust to a new country.
In practice, the project provided adult migrants information of the studies and projects offered by the Finnish HEIs. Usually, the ways of applying to and continuing studies within universities or universities of applied sciences was discussed with the counselees. SIMHE-UniPID also offered consultation with recognizing the studies and know-how learnt previously. This consultation was aimed at improving the allocation of the incoming RPL applications received by the HEIs. Guidance services were provided both online and at the Jyväskylä SIMHE-desk. Number of counselees who received personal guidance was 130 altogether whereas the study infos for larger groups gathered some 200 migrant participants.
UniPID network member universities had also an opportunity to apply for small-scale funding to organise Virtual Studies, especially courses facing the needs of the migrant students. Three courses were admitted funding. These Virtual Studies will be marketed and opened for registrations in UniPID course catalogue in autumn 2017.
SIMHE-UniPID also facilitated the dialogue between migration related research and good practicies by participating in international and nation-wide seminars, workshops and scientific conferences. The project also organised a multidisciplinary seminar targeted to university sector experts, researchers and prospective students in Jyväskylä. The knowledge and practices accumulated and disseminated can be utilized when planning and developing supportive activities within HEI's or other organisations.
SIMHE-UniPID provided guidance and counselling for migrant adults living in Finland and interested in beginning higher education studies. The focus in SIMHE guidance was to support counselees' own aspirations to find meaningful education and career paths to proceed with their lives and to integrate. In many cases, and due to increased number of refugees to Europe and Finland in autumn 2015, the counselee was an asylum seeker looking for opportunities to continue his or her interrupted academic studies and to adjust to a new country.
In practice, the project provided adult migrants information of the studies and projects offered by the Finnish HEIs. Usually, the ways of applying to and continuing studies within universities or universities of applied sciences was discussed with the counselees. SIMHE-UniPID also offered consultation with recognizing the studies and know-how learnt previously. This consultation was aimed at improving the allocation of the incoming RPL applications received by the HEIs. Guidance services were provided both online and at the Jyväskylä SIMHE-desk. Number of counselees who received personal guidance was 130 altogether whereas the study infos for larger groups gathered some 200 migrant participants.
UniPID network member universities had also an opportunity to apply for small-scale funding to organise Virtual Studies, especially courses facing the needs of the migrant students. Three courses were admitted funding. These Virtual Studies will be marketed and opened for registrations in UniPID course catalogue in autumn 2017.
SIMHE-UniPID also facilitated the dialogue between migration related research and good practicies by participating in international and nation-wide seminars, workshops and scientific conferences. The project also organised a multidisciplinary seminar targeted to university sector experts, researchers and prospective students in Jyväskylä. The knowledge and practices accumulated and disseminated can be utilized when planning and developing supportive activities within HEI's or other organisations.
Principal Investigator
Other persons related to this project (JYU)
Contact person (yes/no): Yes | |
Contact person (yes/no): Yes |
Primary responsible unit
Web page
http://www.unipid.fi/en/page/418/supporting_immigrants_in_higher_education_in_finland_simhe/
