Join the EDI Unit and University of Sanctuary Working Group in University College Cork for an exploration of the EU-Passworld pilot with Nasc Ireland.

For the first time since records began, the number of people forced to flee worldwide has now surpassed 100 million.[1] Of the university-aged refugees wishing to continue their higher education, only 6% can do so due to the countless barriers they face. Education pathways enable refugees to access study opportunities that would otherwise be unavailable to them by removing these barriers, assessing them on their skills, qualifications and academic potential, while also allowing them to find a safe and stable new home free from conflict and persecution. Education pathways can save lives.

[1] UNHCR: Mid-Year Trends 2022

Intro

EU-Passworld (EUPW) is a three-year pilot project (2022-2024) funded by the EU’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund taking place in Belgium, Ireland and Italy. In Ireland, the project is led by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and Nasc, the Migrant and Refugee Rights Centre. The goal is to pilot education and labour pathways linked to Community Sponsorship in Ireland for up to 50 people in need of international protection by the end of 2024. The aspiration is that the pathways implemented under EUPW will grow into self-sustaining national programmes after 2024, and to contribute to establishing similar initiatives in other countries.

 

Bios

Fiona Hurley

Fiona Hurley is a graduate of University College Cork and holds a Bachelor of Law degree (BCL) and a Masters in Laws (LLM). She also holds a diploma in Leadership and Management.

Fiona joined Nasc in 2010 and has worked in a variety of roles since, gaining significant experience in the areas of immigration and protection law and their intersection with housing, social welfare and health entitlements. Fiona’s work also included the development of legislation and policy related to the rights of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers and building the capacity of statutory, community and voluntary bodies locally and nationally.

In July 2022 Fiona was appointed CEO of Nasc.

 

Tessa Cornally

Tessa Cornally is a graduate of University College Cork and holds a BA in Language and Cultural Studies (French) and a MA in International Development from Maynooth University.

She is the Complementary Pathways Officer with Nasc, the Migrant and Refugee Rights Centre. She has been working on the EU-Passworld project since July 2023 when she joined Nasc. Prior to this she worked in a wide range of roles in both Education and the NGO sector, both in Ireland and abroad, including in France, Spain, Peru, and the United States.