Catalogue of Initiatives

The BHER Project aims to provide internationally recognized university education programs to refugees and locals based in Dadaab, Kenya. The innovation of the BHER project rests in the population it serves, the model it uses and the institutional policies and practices it enriches. This project focuses primarily on education for refugees caught in extended exile in the global South for more than 15 years, living in an underserved region where resources and supports for education are scarce. In the context of increased calls to provide higher education for refugees, BHER is one of the few projects that offers programs and contributes to community capacity building in situ.
The BHER project combines the expertise of Canadian and Kenyan universities which in the course of 10 years have amassed unique knowledge and experience in delivering university education onsite and online in the context of insecurity and marginalization. Working with and beyond individual institutional practices, we have modelled programming on the specific needs of refugee populations; used various pedagogical tools and training, as well as modes of content delivery, including the creation of opportunities for BHER students for intercultural learning with their Canadian peers through blended course delivery; adapted course content to the local context; and responded proactively to changes in Kenyan legislation regarding teacher education. The cornerstone of BHER programming is stackability (allowing students to stop at any one level of programming), portability (enabling students to continue studies wherever they go), gender equity and inclusivity (taking all necessary measures to ensure participation of women, ethnic, religious, and linguistic minorities, as well as students with disabilities in all academic programs), and peaceful co-existence with the host community (at least 25% of BHER student body is from local sites). All academic programs are offered free to the refugee and local students serviced by BHER.