Refugees attending the EHESS
Treize réfugiés ont été admis à l’EHESS cette année.

The prestigious École des hautes études en sciences sociales (School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences) registers 13 refugees among its students. Financial support is provided to help them integrate in the institution everyday life.

"Marquis", a financial support to help welcome refugees

Since February 2014, the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences (EHESS) welcomes among its students thirteen refugees from Syria, Sudan and Afghanistan. They benefit from the financial support Marquis, created by the school in October 2015 to "facilitate the reception of refugees, whether students or researchers, who are directly involved in research in social sciences".

The help is designed for "young male and female researchers, PhD students and PhD holders who, due to exceptional events, including in their countries, are not able to continue their work with a minimum guaranteed safety and comfort".

Higher education conditions first

As opposed to most higher education scholarships, Marquis doesn't involve any degree condition. The first criterion is the level of the applicants, which is decided by a jury of teachers. This is a great opportunity for students and researchers who were forced to leave their country of origin in a rush and could only take minimum stuff.

"In emergency situation", says an anonymous Syrian student in "Le Monde", "you don't take the official papers necessary to build a new life elsewhere". There are few who thought of bringing their study qualifications with them.

A commitment true to the values of the school

For Liora Israël, lecturer and secretary of the EHESS, this action stays true to a long tradition of welcoming refugees. When they fled Soviet oppression, South American dictatorships or war in Ruanda, many where the refugees to study and teach in the EHESS.

José Kagabo was one of them. Born in Ruanda, he fled from the massacre of the Tutsis to find shelter in France in 1974. He was accepted in the EHESS and became a lecturer a few years later. His work on the history of Ruanda allowed him to be granted the French nationality. One of the most acknowledged experts on the Rwandan genocide, he died in 2015.

Snowball effect

To be accepted in the school, applicants must send a presentation of their work to be assessed. Then, several teachers from the EHESS help them correct and improve their project. The next step is the final admission in the prestigious school. They are granted a scholarship which includes the registration fees.

This integration process has a snowball effect. Sciences Po Paris now offers to customize its registration conditions to allow refugees to join. No degree is required. The level of the applicant is assess by a commission which will decide later if the applicant is accepted in Licence, Master of PhD level.

[Photo credits]

Banner: © EHESS

Article body: © DR