They come from ten countries: Afghanistan, Egypt, Azerbaijan, Ivory Coast, Iraq, Rwanda, Russia, Syria, Turkey and Ukraine. And they have completed the "School Social Work" contact study programme at the University of Oldenburg. Yesterday, the 17 graduates received their degree certificates.
Over the past nine months, they have been prepared for their work as school social workers. The "School Social Work" contact study programme, which was awarded the University Pearl by the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft last year, is aimed at highly qualified refugees. They must have already completed a degree or training programme in their country of origin or have gained professional experience in educational, socio-educational and social fields of work. This year's graduates, who have been living in Germany for between three and 20 years, worked as teachers, Germanists, lawyers, economists, theologians and journalists in their home countries.
"The contact study programme is tailored to each individual and is based on their academic appointments and skills as well as their migration biography," explains Andrea Hertlein, who coordinates the contact study programme at the university. In this way, the participants are prepared for the German labour market and their skills are strengthened. In May 2012, another round of the "School Social Work" contact study programme will start with a focus on "Intercultural Competence in Education, Counselling and Social Work". Anyone interested can register by Wednesday, 18 April, by calling Frederike Walther on 0441/798-4008.
The "Interdisciplinary Centre for Education and Communication in Migration Processes" (IBKM) is organising the further education. The EU and the European Refugee Fund (ERF) are supporting the project.
