"University sponsorship" for refugee admission and integration: The Italian experience

In the context of higher education policy, community sponsorship has been defined by the European Commission as a “valuable tool” for refugee access to higher education. Recognising the key role of universities in supporting international students in need of protection, this chapter offers a preliminary assessment of the interplay between community sponsorship and the so-called “university corridors” for refugees, using one such higher education programme as a case study to assess the conditions under which a multi-stakeholder alliance between universities, refugees and host communities can lead to successful integration pathways. The aim is to see how and to what extent these practices and projects comply with, and even contribute to, existing EU legal and policy frameworks, and to conclude with their potential and criticalities.