Leaders and citizens realise that, without the European Union and its unity, we could not face the problems of terrorism, migrants, and refugees. – Federica Mogherini, Vice-President of the European Commission.

In recent months, news related to the refugee crisis has painted a doom and gloom picture of European reality: chaos and tragedy at the borders and growing tensions inside EU countries between locals and alienated refugees. Yet, while news on this topic tends to be negative, there are many positive – but less reported – initiatives taking place. Higher education is one sector that does not often make headlines in this context but has considerable potential to transform current reality. So could our higher education systems be doing more?

Before answering this question, it is important to understand the context of the problem, as well as to recognise what higher education can offer, and what is already being done.

The twenty-first of December 2015 marked a symbolic milestone: more than one million refugees entering Europe. This colossal number has been largely driven by the Syrian conflict, where half of the country’s pre-war population of 23 million have been forced to flee their homes, with many also fleeing the country, as well as by poverty and conflict in countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, and Sudan. Unfortunately, there is little reason to expect these factors driving migration to disappear soon.

The numbers of refugees reaching Europe are unprecedented. Eurostat data shows that Germany, Hungary, Sweden, Italy, and Austria together account for more than 75 percent of all asylum applicants in the EU. However, most other countries have had less than 2 percent of applications, illustrating a very disproportionate distribution of refugees.

According to some reports, a significant proportion of refugees reaching Europe are well-educated young adults eager to develop their skills and knowledge. For such people, higher education offers pathways to integration in societies, bringing benefits for everyone. The host countries have an opportunity to tap into the talent and potential of the newcomers, while educated refugees may later use their knowledge and skills to contribute to rebuilding their home countries. Individual higher education institutions can also benefit from a boost to 'internationalisation at home', and in the longer term contribute to European economies by developing sustainable relationships with institutions in countries currently torn apart by conflict.

Multiple programmes seeking to help refugees and immigrants have recently been set up including €12 million of European Union scholarships for Syrians in the Middle East. As EUA's Refugees Welcome map demonstrates, many higher education institutions have undertaken particular initiatives to support refugees in their communities. Nevertheless, many potential refugee students have not been integrated into institutions. So what is holding up the process?

Although most European countries aspire to more open and accessible higher education, evidence from the Bologna Process Implementation Report, shows that strategy and action to facilitate access for disadvantaged students is lacking – and this may also affect refugee students. Institutions may also argue that it is particularly challenging to enrol refugees who have no documentation of their previous qualifications. This is a genuine problem, but not a new one, and EU action with national recognition centres (ENIC – NARICs) is supporting countries and institutions to deal with such situations. While papers may not be available, there are ways of assessing competence for higher education programmes through interviews, special examinations, or competence tests as is done in countries such as Norway. Nonetheless, Eurydice's 2015 adult education report shows that, even for home students, mechanisms to recognise prior learning either do not exist or are rarely applied.

While mainstream higher education struggles with recognition, Kiron Open Higher Education, a Berlin-based NGO was able to enrol more than 1 000 refugees in October 2015 alone through their online university, without requesting any documents other than proof of refugee status. Kiron offers these refugee students preparatory courses for university, language training, psychological counselling, and a range of facilities – all funded through donations. Work by NGOs such as Kiron or SPARK – a Dutch organisation providing higher education and financial support to refugee students across Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan – is impressive and necessary. Above all, it shows that, where there is a will, there is a way.

Whatever political solutions are found to address the ongoing crisis, Europe's higher education institutions can make a big difference to the lives of people who are now in difficult circumstances. Jean Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, stated in September 2015 that 'this is time for bold, determined, and concerted action'. A week is a long time in politics, and much may have changed since September 2015 in our perception of the refugee crisis. Nonetheless there is still no better time than now for higher education to respond to this call for action.

Authors: Sanja Sontor and David Crosier