(20 September 2016) – On the occasion of the start of the academic year, the Dean of the Free University of Brussels (Université libre de Bruxelles / ULB), Didier Viviers, announced the opening of a dedicated helpdesk to mentor student refugees, as well as the creation of 10 postdoctoral chairs.
The longstanding commitment of the university to supporting refugees goes back to the big influx in 2015, and to the establishment of the ‘ULB Students With Refugees’ association, which began organising the hosting of refugees in private homes, in partnership with the Centre d’Action Laïque (Secular Action Centre). Host families were found for more than 300 migrants in October 2015.
Other initiatives will be launched during the academic year, including intensive French classes and an “alien law clinic”, which will build on the activities carried out so far by the students.