Refugee scholarships launched as Goldsmiths responds to international crisis

Six new scholarships for refugees are to be offered by Goldsmiths, University of London as part of its response to the ongoing displacement crisis.

 

Worth more than £140,000 a year in total, the scholarships are being offered to three undergraduate students and three postgraduate students.

Under the funding the full-time students’ teaching and accommodation fees will be waived. They will also receive maintenance bursaries of up to £10,000 a year – marking a significant increase in Goldsmiths’ funding for those affected by events in the Middle East, Africa and Europe.

The scholarships will be split between Goldsmiths’ three academic Schools, with one undergraduate and one postgraduate from each School chosen to receive the help.

Goldsmiths Students’ Union (GSU) has been instrumental in developing the funding packages and will continue to work alongside the university in responding to the crisis.

This includes proposals for the Student and Library Service (SALS) to work with GSU to co-ordinate increased and sustained support of refugees throughout their time at Goldsmiths.

Included in this are plans for ongoing English language lessons and trauma relief.

The university and GSU will also work together to build on existing links with the academic charity Cara.

Patrick Loughrey, Warden of Goldsmiths, said: “We have never seen events like those which unfolded over the summer. Those images and stories compelled us to act – we simply could not stand by and do nothing. Goldsmiths is in a position of real privilege to be able to help, initially with these scholarships but also by developing an ongoing academic response to this terrible crisis.”

Danny Nasr, Goldsmiths Students’ Union Education Officer said: “Education is the most powerful and sustainable resource on the planet. To those with nothing, and to those who have lost everything, education is the only meaningful mechanism of rebellion; the only meaningful mechanism of change.

“We are honoured to announce that Goldsmiths will be offering six full-time scholarships plus living bursaries open to refugees worldwide.”