There were close to 70 people signed up for the courses when they started in September. The offer has been extended with an additional English course this autumn. The language courses are free for refugees and asylum seekers, in collaboration with NAV's introduction programme.
“By offering free language courses, we hope to help the participants pass the language requirements required to enter higher education in Norway. They do not receive a formal diploma, but they get a course certificate and training that will make them better equipped to pass the language tests,” says Winnie Joanna Greenwood Ormerod at OsloMet.
Rector Christen Krogh is glad that the university is continuing to invest in Academic dugnad for refugees.
"OsloMet has, through Academic dugnad, been an important contributor to the follow-up of refugees in the region for several years," says rector Christen Krogh.
“Many refugees want to study and get a job that they are qualified for from their home country, and we want to help them with that. Higher education increases the chances of success in the Norwegian employment market, which is a key to integration,” says Krogh.
The following courses have been set up this autumn:
- Norwegian course at B2 level
- English course at A1/A2 level
- English course at B2 level
“The courses are open to anyone with a refugee background. Due to the war in Ukraine, we are seeing that many Ukrainians are applying to our courses. About half of the participants this semester are from Ukraine. We also have participants from Syria, Afghanistan, Iran and Turkey”, says Greenwood Ormerod.
In addition to language courses, Academic dugnad has a weekly language cafe for refugees and asylum seekers, in collaboration with the student association "Norsk Start Oslo", as well as other activities throughout the semester.
The image is showing Olena Pitkevych and Daria Honcharova from Ukraine and Lida Nikcheri from Iran who is among the participants in language courses through Academic dugnad this autumn.
