Minister Jet Bussemaker complimented Radboud University on Monday for its dedicated efforts on behalf of refugees residing at Heumensoord. ‘We need to work with universities to see how we can offer education to people seeking asylum.’

Asylum seekers in Heumensoord who participate in the lecture series offered by Radboud University welcomed a very special guest Monday. Minister of Education Jet Bussemaker visited the Grotius building to attend a lecture in the Food for Thought series, organised by the Faculty of Law.

‘It’s important that we enter into an open dialogue with the asylum seekers’, Bussemaker said after the lecture. ‘As a member of the Dutch government, I want to stress that we’re not just sticking these people in refugee centres. They have our attention and we look forward to starting a dialogue with them.’ Bussemaker also stressed the importance of equal rights for women and the LGBT community. Judging by the questions posed by the audience, however, the asylum seekers were largely interested in practical issues, like Dutch language courses and diploma accreditation.

Praise
With the largest refugee centre in its back garden, Nijmegen is developing countless initiatives on behalf of asylum seekers. Radboud University is also making an active contribution with initiatives like Food for Thought. ‘I’m excited to see that these lectures are helping asylum seekers stay busy. Otherwise, they’d just be waiting. It may also prove to be an important step towards ‘real education’ once their applications have been approved.’

Not having a residence status is the biggest obstacle preventing the Heumensoord asylum seekers from enrolling in a Dutch education programme. According to Dutch law, only approved refugees can enrol in higher education. While Bussemaker believes it’s good to draw a clear line, some Heumensoord asylum seekers are being admitted to Nijmegen lecture halls, albeit without the possibility to earn any credits. ‘It’s great to see the academic community making a real contribution’, says Bussemaker. ‘We need to work with universities to see how we can offer asylum seekers some form of education alongside traditional classes.’ / Mathijs Noij