Refugee and (Im)migrant Education Initiatives

Ensuring displaced, refugee, and (im)migrant children and youth have access to quality, holistic education for that builds on their strengths, supports their needs, and offers opportunities to build bright futures.

Through our refugee and (im)migrant education projects and initiatives, the Center for Professional Learning supports educators and other education leaders working in refugee displacement, migration, crisis, and resettlement contexts around the world.

We co-create solutions, resources, and approaches in learning communities that are sustainable, thriving, inclusive, and equitable, modeling practices that improve experiences and outcomes for educators and their students. Each project and initiative is tailored to the needs of educators teaching in their unique contexts and based on their assets, hopes, and needs.

Refugee Education Pledges

As part of the Global Refugee Forum (GRF) in December 2023, Childhood Education International proudly announced pledges to provide support and resources for refugee education. Joining the pledges of other organizations and governments worldwide, we are working collectively to ensure that refugees have access to safe, quality, and relevant education opportunities and are included in national education systems.

Pledge 1: Supporting Educators' Learning Journeys

Childhood Education International is committed to providing access to quality, holistic, continuous professional development for pre-primary through secondary school educators working in contexts of emergency, crisis, displacement, migration, and refugee settings and supporting refugees’ and (im)migrants’ pathways to entering the teaching profession within national education systems.

CE International pledges to support at least 20,000 educators’ learning journeys over the next 5 years through Open Educational Resources, workshops, webinars, communities of practice, and other opportunities created with teachers for teachers in alignment with national education initiatives and in collaboration with other INGOs, university teacher preparation programs, government ministries, and education leadership partners.

Pledge 2: Sharing ECD and Inclusive Education Resources with a Global Network

CE International is committed to advocating for and increasing awareness about the importance of integrating inclusive early childhood development and education and early intervention in inter-sectoral responses to crises and displacement to ensure that the youngest children from refugee, displaced, and host communities have access to national and local systems that support quality, holistic, and inclusive early childhood services that uphold child rights and promote safety and protection.

Through our communications platforms and publications, CE International will reach a global network of at least 15,000 child development leaders, educators, and other education leaders in the next 5 years through the distribution of resources, events, and reports featuring the importance of early childhood development and education and early intervention as it relates to contexts of crises and displacement. 

Map of the world with pinpoints scattered around the continents, indicating where programs or program participants are located.

Impact

Since its creation, the Center for Professional Learning has served educators in more than 50 countries and on 6 continents, directly impacting thousands of educators, who collectively reach tens of thousands of refugee and (im)migrant learners. Educators who have been a part of this work report that it has helped them explore new ideas, address challenges, and implement changes in their classrooms.

“I feel that REA has been a place where I can bring ideas and problems of practice and learn from the perspectives and backgrounds of people in a wide range of positions and contexts.” -Participant in the U.S.

“What made me more excited about the course [was] when I started implementing the activities in my classroom. I always thought that we don’t have time for such activities, but after seeing the learners’ joy and excitement I realised the huge positive impacts of such activities. The learners became more disciplined in the classroom and interested in studying English. Even I, as a teacher, became more energetic and enthusiastic after hearing their whispers while going back to the classroom.” -Participant in Lebanon

“I appreciate this initiative of empowering us as refugee educators. For me it has been a gift from heaven, because I am no longer the same as I was before joining this course, and I will not be the way I am now at the end of this course.” -Participant in Kenya

Highlighted Projects & Initiatives

diverse group of professionals engaging in refugee learning training programs.

Refugee and (Im)migrant Educator Academy

The RIEA supports educators working with refugee, (im)migrant, multilingual learner/emergent bilingual, and newcomer students in the United States. The RIEA co-creates contextualized communities of practice with and for educators and offers sustainable, holistic learning opportunities for educators and other education leaders.

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Happy teacher with students

Pathways to Teaching Project

The Pathways to Teaching Project is helping diversify the U.S. teacher workforce by providing professional development and career mentorship to refugees and immigrants in the U.S., while also supporting workforce partners in creating more welcoming on-ramps and pathways.

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Quality Holistic Learning Project

The Quality Holistic Learning Project aims to increase quality holistic learning experiences and outcomes for refugee students, other vulnerable learners, and educators across displacement contexts. To date, this initiative has focused efforts in Kenya, Chad, Niger, and Lebanon. Resources are available in an Open Educational Resource Library.

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Quality Holistic Professional Learning in Lebanon

The Quality Holistic Professional Learning in Lebanon Project aims to bolster inclusion, equity, and holistic learning for every child throughout Lebanon through teacher-centered professional development in communities of practice and self-directed lifelong learning among educators through courses, micro-credentials, and leadership development opportunities.

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Photo of a dad and child holding Ukrainian flags, looking out at a city in the distance

Ukraine Education Support Projects

The Center for Professional Learning supports educators and offers sustainable, holistic learning opportunities for teachers working in refugee displacement, crisis, migration, and resettlement contexts.

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