The Refugee and Migrant Education Network (RMEN) is a network of colleges, universities, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) dedicated to improving refugee education through research and advocacy. It has organized three refugee education international conferences ¹ and contributed to US higher education refugee resettlement initiatives. ^{2 3}

Background

Refugee and Migrant Education Network was co-founded by Anthony Cernera, former president of the International Federation of Catholic Universities (IFCU), and Rene M. Micallef, a professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. ^{4 5}

 

On the final day of RMEN’s November 2017 conference in Rome, Pope Francis met in private audience with representatives of IFCU and several NGOs, urging them “to be proactive in promoting the rights and welfare of migrants and refugees” and to seek “practical solutions through research to problems of forced migration.” ⁶

Activities

Refugee and Migrant Education Network facilitates research on “forced migration and mass human displacement” and on “practices and technologies that are most effective in the education of people at the margins.” ⁷

RMEN has organized three international conferences committed to “expanding educational opportunities for refugees and displaced peoples. ⁸ Participants have included Filippo Grandi, the 11th United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and Thomas H. Smolich, the international director of the Jesuit Refugee Service. ⁹

RMEN is an Affiliate Partner of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, an association of over 550 higher education leaders “that advocates for immigration policies that welcome undocumented, immigrant, and international students.” ¹⁰

In 2021, the Alliance published a refugee higher education plan calling for a “university sponsorship program that would allow refugee students to enter the United States under a newly established P-4 category for private sponsorship of refugees.” Anthony Cernera sat on the Education Awareness Working Group of this initiative. ¹¹

RMEN is one of 149 US organizations supporting Welcome Corps on Campus, a United States Department of State initiative which sets up private sponsorship groups on college campuses to provide full funding of all academic and living expenses of refugee students. The students have access to financial aid, are permitted to work, and “are put on track to become permanent residents and U.S. Citizens.” ^{12 13}

Welcome Corps on Campus is part of Welcome US, a “a non-profit, non-partisan initiative of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.” ¹⁴

In May 2023, the Presidents’ Alliance announced a United States Department of State-funded program, the SHERR project, led by World Learning, an international educational exchange organization, ¹⁵ in partnership with the Presidents’ Alliance, Welcome US, and the Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC). ¹⁶

The SHERR project “amplifies the work of higher education institutions […] which includes providing scholarships, housing units […] and pathways to education to thousands of refugees and their families.” ¹⁷ SHERR organizes colleges into networks and provides tools and resources. ¹⁸

Leadership

Anthony Cernera, RMEN’s leader, is president of Being the Blessing Foundation and the Center for Interreligious Understanding. He was a board member of the Committee on Justice and Peace Education of Catholic Relief Services and the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. He has worked as president of the International Federation of Catholic Universities and president of Sacred Heart University. ^{19 20}

1. “Refugee & Migrant Education Network.” Accessed October 30, 2023. https://rmenetwork.org/
2. Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration. “University Sponsorship of Refugee Students. Initiative on Increasing U.S. Education Pathways for Refugee Students November 2021.” UniversitySponsorshipofRefugeeStudents_v1a.pdf. Accessed November 1, 2023. https://www.higheredimmigrationportal.org/response-campaign/
3. Community Sponsorship Hub. Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. “Announcement – Welcome Corps on Campus.” Announcement_Welcome-Corps-on-Campus.pdf. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://communitysponsorshiphub.org/our-work/welcome-corps/
4. Be the Blessing. “General 2.” Accessed October 30, 2023. https://www.betheblessingfoundation.org/https/refugees-migrants
5. “René M Micallef | Pontifical Gregorian University – Academia.Edu.” Accessed October 31, 2023. https://unigre.academia.edu/ReneMMicallef
6. Micallef, René. “Teaching About Human Mobility; How to Respond to Pope Francis’ Request to Universities and NGOs.” Jeevadhara, 2017. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://unigre.academia.edu/ReneMMicallef
7. “Refugee & Migrant Education Network.” Accessed October 30, 2023. https://rmenetwork.org/
8. “Refugee & Migrant Education Network.” Accessed October 30, 2023. https://rmenetwork.org/
9. “Refugee & Migrant Education Network.” Accessed October 30, 2023. https://rmenetwork.org/
10. Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration. “University Sponsorship of Refugee Students. Initiative on Increasing U.S. Education Pathways for Refugee Students November 2021.” UniversitySponsorshipofRefugeeStudents_v1a.pdf. Accessed November 1, 2023. https://www.higheredimmigrationportal.org/response-campaign/
11. Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration. “University Sponsorship of Refugee Students. Initiative on Increasing U.S. Education Pathways for Refugee Students November 2021.” UniversitySponsorshipofRefugeeStudents_v1a.pdf. Accessed November 1, 2023. https://www.higheredimmigrationportal.org/response-campaign/
12. Community Sponsorship Hub. Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. “Announcement – Welcome Corps on Campus.” Announcement_Welcome-Corps-on-Campus.pdf. Accessed November 3, 2023. https://communitysponsorshiphub.org/our-work/welcome-corps/
13. Welcome Corps. “On Campus: Frequently Asked Questions.” Accessed November 4, 2023. https://welcomecorps.org/resources/campusfaqs/
14.  United States Department of State. “State Department Collaboration with Welcome.US.” Accessed November 4, 2023. https://www.state.gov/state-department-collaboration-with-welcome-us/
15. “World Learning, Inc. – GuideStar Profile.” Accessed November 2, 2023. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/03-0179592
16. Presidents’ Alliance on Higher education and Immigration. “New program to mobilize higher education institutions to support refugee resettlement.” May 2, 2023.  Accessed November 4, 2023.  https://www.presidentsalliance.org/press/new-program-to-mobilize-higher-education-institutions-to-support-refugee-resettlement/
17. Presidents’ Alliance on Higher education and Immigration. “New program to mobilize higher education institutions to support refugee resettlement.” May 2, 2023.  Accessed November 4, 2023.  https://www.presidentsalliance.org/press/new-program-to-mobilize-higher-education-institutions-to-support-refugee-resettlement/
18. World Learning. “Supporting Higher Education in Refugee Resettlement (SHERR).” Accessed November 5, 2023. https://www.worldlearning.org/program/supporting-higher-education-in-refugee-resettlement/
19. Be the Blessing. “General 2.” Accessed October 30, 2023. https://www.betheblessingfoundation.org/https/refugees-migrants
20. “Anthony J. Cernera, Ph.D. – World Refugees School.” Accessed November 5, 2023. https://www.wrschool.org/team/anthony-j-cernera-ph-d/