EU-Passworld (EUPW) has enabled the creation of a university corridor in Belgium. This project aims to organise safe and legal access to higher education for exiled individuals residing in a low- or middle-income host country. Selected students travel with a humanitarian visa for study purposes, which is valid for the entire duration of their studies and for one year after graduation to help them find employment. The long-term goal is to settle permanently in Belgium and contribute their skills to Belgian society.
For the 2024-2025 academic year, UCLouvain is pleased to welcome, as part of this project, four Congolese students who were previously refugees in Uganda. These four students are enrolled in a Master's program within the Faculty of Economic, Social, Political, and Communication Sciences (ESPO). "Our faculty is delighted to welcome these four young students," says Julie Hérion, the faculty's administrative director. "This project perfectly aligns with our values of inclusion, diversity, social commitment, and the fight against inequalities. Our programs are also particularly well-suited for the students we welcome, offering teaching methods adapted to adults resuming their studies or support for students from the Global South." They receive guidance from faculty and university services, as well as a support group, to facilitate their integration into the campus and their new host country.
The application process is exclusively managed by the local office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). UCLouvain does not accept applications through any other channel.
EU-Passworld (EUPW) was initially a project funded by the European Asylum, Migration, and Integration Fund and launched by Fedasil, Caritas International, and KU Leuven with the support of the UNHCR. Several universities, including UCLouvain, have joined the program.
