The funding will support pilot programmes in Jordan, Bangladesh, and Uganda, focusing on flexible, skills-oriented study offers aligned with local and regional labour market needs. Academic content will be delivered through a combination of digital teaching and locally facilitated learning hubs, enabling participation even in low-connectivity contexts.
Despite record levels of forced displacement globally, access to higher education remains extremely limited for refugees. The GUA addresses this gap by bringing universities to where learners are through modular courses, recognised credentials, and strong partnerships with local institutions and organisations
“This funding gives us a unique opportunity to test a new partnership model for higher education in crisis and displacement settings,” says GUA lead Marianne Knarud. “It allows us to move from concept to implementation and to demonstrate how higher education can be delivered at scale, even in the most challenging contexts.”
The pilots will contribute to GUA’s long-term ambition to build a sustainable, multi-stakeholder model that expands access to quality higher education for refugees and displaced learners worldwide.
The grant was first reported by Khrono.
About Norad
The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) is an administrative and specialist body for development cooperation and supports the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Climate and the Environment in achieving the goals of Norwegian development policy and promoting sustainable development.