Visiting students demand more rights and scholarships: Global South students under pressure – Knowledge

Ibrahim Rezai studied electrical engineering at Osnabrck. The 23-year-old Afghan has been fighting for it for a long time. At the age of 16, he fled the Taliban, ended up in Italy, and moved to Germany. She wants to study and hear about a scholarship program from Bread for the World. But as the second Dublin refugee, Ibrahim was deported to Italy. Thanks to the scholarship, he can come back and start his studies.

If he does not pass the test, he is threatened with cancellation of registration and expulsion

But Ibrahim is under pressure. If he fails his test, there is a risk of expulsion and thus deportation. When the scholarship expires, he is not entitled to Bafög. She wants to work, but it takes her time to study to pass the exam.

Many students in the Global South are under this pressure. About 150,000 students from developing and emerging countries are currently in Germany to qualify for the future in their home country or in the local job market. On a working day hosted by Bread for the World in Berlin, more than 100 scholarship workers from the aid organization wrote a resolution. They appeal to government agencies, authorities and university management to improve their study conditions.

They want more welcome and offer advice

They are concerned about a liberalized right to life and fair access to higher education. The educational and professional qualifications of one’s own country must be recognized equally with that of the Germans. They will seek more welcome and consultation offers at universities, the expansion of free language and adaptation offers, and the student union’s “cross-city room service”. Scholarships and other funding opportunities need to be expanded – such as job opportunities at universities.

Anti-discrimination training for university employees

In many cases, students in the Global South also face racism and discrimination and therefore demand mandatory anti-discrimination training for authorities and university staff. The latter should deal critically with the colonial history of their organization.

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