Duolingo and the United Nations High Commission on Refugees created a one-of-its-kind partnership to improve pathways to higher education for refugee students in support of the UN’s 15x30 pledge to increase refugee student enrollment in post-secondary education to 15% by 2023, from just 1% in 2019. The Duolingo Access Program (DUA) is proving that focused actions and resources can have an out-sized impact on the lives of program participants. Today, four learners are studying at Canadian universities, and are among a cohort of more than 40 refugee scholars in top universities across the United States and Canada, with a third cohort, bound for even more diverse study destinations, navigating the admissions and immigration process for fall 2025 enrollment. BC has been home to Canada's first Rohingya Refugee Student since 2023 through the DUA.

This session will use the DUA program as a case study to explore learnings, opportunities and challenges for individuals and institutions interested in doing more to support refugee learners. A current DUA Scholar will share their firsthand experience on a Canadian campus with attendees and we will explore the partnerships and collaborative best practices that have made this work in Canada and the US possible, including activities with organizations like WUSC and The Presidents’ Alliance.