How can refugees have the skills they have already acquired recognised when starting their studies or career in Germany? This question will be addressed in a workshop for full-time and voluntary helpers in refugee work, which the University of Oldenburg is offering on Saturday, 7 April, from 10.00 to 16.00. The event "Through the educational biography to new perspectives" is organised by staff from the "Portfolios for refugees" project, the International Student Office and the University's C3L - Centre for Lifelong Learning. In the experience of the workshop organisers, it is difficult for refugees to trace their educational biography and the skills they have already acquired in as much detail as possible without appropriate help. Many find it difficult to assess their chances of starting a degree programme or continuing a degree programme they started in their home country. This is where a skills portfolio, which the helpers create together with the refugees, can provide support. The workshop will focus on the advantages of a portfolio and how to create one. Katja Kaboth-Larssen from the International Student Office will also provide information on the requirements refugees need to fulfil to be admitted to university. Lea Sophie Diekmann and Sarah Lammers will then present representative educational pathways using case studies that they have experienced as part of the "Portfolios for Refugees" project. Since the start of project in spring 2016, the university has been able to help around 80 refugees get off to a good start in the German education system or the world of work in this way. The project participants to date have mainly come from Syria, Iraq and Iran. More than 60 per cent of them have a qualification equivalent to a German Bachelor's degree.

The workshop will take place at the C3L - Centre for Lifelong Learning (Ammerländer Heerstraße 136, Room V02 0-002). Interested parties are asked to register with Sarah Lammers at by 30 March. Participation is free of charge.