What is the INTEGRA project about?
INTEGRA aims at responding to the limited participation of young migrants and refugees from conflict affected countries in Higher Education in India & Pakistan, by introducing an innovative methodology that combines education on Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) with psychosocial support, for promoting the integration of vulnerable groups.
The project will develop and offer – without any cost for the participants – a short-term state-of-the-art course on ICT for vulnerable youth in India & Pakistan, based on the expectations of the ICT labour market in these countries, along with the establishment and operation of four psychosocial support structures, one in each Higher Education Institution (HEI), providing personalised psychosocial support.
INTEGRA will make use of innovative tools, such as a customised e-learning platform for the provision of the ICT course and also the software for the provision of remote counselling sessions, allowing the vulnerable youth to overcome the obstacles they currently face.
The project partners of the consortium come from Greece, India, Pakistan and Portugal.
What are the main target groups?
The INTEGRA’s Objectives
Advance the targeted Higher Education Institutions in India and Pakistan (2 HEIs in each country) in terms of capacities, new services and tools so that they better meet the educational and by extension the social and economic integration needs of young migrants and refugees.
Bring young refugees and migrants from conflict affected areas closer to Higher Education Institutions, while also upscaling their ICT skills and treating their psychosocial traumas.
Facilitate the integration of vulnerable youth in these countries by attending higher education courses and/or by entering the labour market and especially the ICT sector, which is one of the main economic activities in these Regions.
Main activities and outputs
Desk & field research on specific needs analysis in India and Pakistan
Design and implementation of a 1-year accredited ICT course including different programmes & modules based on the state-of-the-art analysis.
Psychosocial support structures providing personalized support to young refugees.
Development of a comprehensive capacity building programme for tutors and professionals for the structures, along with a pilot delivery of the services developed.
Expected Results
- Vulnerable young people will come closer to the higher education system in India and Pakistan, will increase their level of capacities in terms of ICT skills and competences and will be empowered for overcoming their psychosocial traumas.
- Institutional stakeholders and also actors of the local ICT sector will gain increased awareness about the potential of the young refugees and migrants as human capital that could contribute to the further development of the sector.
- HEIs in India & Pakistan will be better capacitated to deal with the ICT-related learning gaps and psychosocial support needs of refugee youth in pursue of their full social and economic integration.
- Participating HEIs will enhance their service portfolio, coming closer to the needs of disadvantaged young refugees and, in turn, the demands of the local ICT labour markets and will increase their level of infrastructure and equipment, leading to an increased quality level of services provided.
- The academic staff of the participating HEIs, both teachers and professionals, will increase their level of skills and competences, through transfer of international good practices and know-how.
- The wider public will be more sensitised about the difficulties that young refugees face when trying to enter the higher education system in their recipient countries.