Working with refugees

Working with refugees

Cambridge Assessment English recognises that for refugees and asylum seekers, gaining English language skills is essential to settling successfully in their host country. It is also vital in helping them resume their education, gain employment and develop skills that can help them when they return to their home country.

We have taken a key role in a number of programmes aimed at providing opportunities for forced migrants and supporting those working with them:

Techfugees conference

Techfugees use technology to develop solutions to the specific challenges faced by refugees. In 2016 we hosted a Techfugees conference in Cambridge for teachers, refugees, technology providers, assessment experts, NGOs, charities and universities. It focused on the English language needs of refugees. Watch highlights from the conference.

Aim Higher MOOC

Over 2,300 people signed up for our free online Massive Online Open Course (MOOC) that helps refugees understand the process of applying to UK universities and provides tips on learning English. This course was developed with a number of partners, including UCAS, British Council, University of Nottingham, SOAS and The Student Room. Find out more about the Aim Higher MOOC

Volunteering with Refugees MOOC

We partnered with Crisis Classroom on a free online course helping people working with refugees understand their social and linguistic needs. This course has been accessed by more than 8,000 people. Find out more

Donating laptops and mobile phones

We have been installing learning content and essential programs onto old Cambridge Assessment laptops before distributing them (via various charities) to places such as Lebanon, Athens, France and Greece. The laptops have helped refugees keep up with their studies and the mobile phones have been a lifeline for many refugees, including unaccompanied children.

Volunteer teaching

Volunteers from Cambridge English Assessment have worked with a local primary school and also online through Kiron Open Higher Education on trialling English classes to understand how best to support refugee learners. In 2017 we were shortlisted for a PIEoneer Award for our work in this area.

If you would like to find out how about how you can support our programmes for refugees, please contact us.

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