SGH students attended AGILE Summer School in Bordeaux Montagne University

 The AGILE Summer School is an interesting project organised by the international consortium under Erasmus+ program. Its main goal is to help students who had to leave their home countries to connect with each other and feel more at home in Europe. We met young people from all over the world: Ukraine, Iran, Afghanistan, Tibet, Georgia, Belarus, Egypt, Syria, and Bangladesh. We all came together to talk, work together, and figure out how to make our time in Europe better. A group from Poland was selected by the Polish Rectors Foundation and consisted of seven students with refugee background from the SGH Warsaw School of Economics, Warsaw University of Technology, University of Warsaw and Silesian University of Technology. The group was coordinated by Iryna Degtyarova, PhD, SGH Rector’s Representative for Cooperation with Ukrainian Universities.

The project dealt with some tough questions like racism, language barriers, and religious differences. We also talked about cultural challenges that make it hard for young migrants to fit in. The idea was to help us work together to solve these problems, not just for ourselves but for other young people who might come to Europe in the future.

In Bordeaux, surrounded by the city's awesome history and culture, we found a little world of our own where everyone got along. Each day, we learned new things, made new friends, and understood more about the challenges we all face. This summer school wasn't just about learning - it was about making real changes and giving hope to young people like us all over Europe.

When it comes to the personal insights, they are as follows:

For Oleh, the experience at AGILE Summer School in Bordeaux was truly one of the best one could have: 

“I had a great pleasure being there, meeting and working with refugees from all around the globe, all connected with a single cause - ease the adaptation and integration of people with similar experiences. Both with Ukrainians and foreigners, we found a common ground from the first interaction thanks to the workshops organised for us. They kept me interested and entertained, as well as let us learn and appreciate the cultural and linguistic differences among students. In essence, I would definitely recommend every student to experience such an event, and look forward to opportunities alike to appear.”

For Sofiia, attending the AGILE Summer School was an incredible experience: 

“This was my first opportunity to present myself in project like that. I believe it did not only give me a great chance for international communication but also inspired me for self-realization in future. The whole projects helped us a lot in understanding the peculiarities of getting a degree in different universities as foreigner. I believe the networking was on higher level in AGILE Summer School. Informal networking sessions, group discussions, and cultural exchange facilitated meaningful connections. We got a good chance to meet people from different countries and hear about their life, their stories of migration. The workshops provided valuable insights into the multifaceted challenges faced by refugees in accessing education. The experience reinforced the belief that education is a fundamental right and highlighted the collective responsibility to ensure it is accessible to all, regardless of the circumstances. The friendships forged, the knowledge gained, and the collective resolve to make a difference have undoubtedly left a lasting impact on me.”

Vlad summed up that the AGILE project is a place where you can get rid of all your prejudice: 

“This project helped me to better understand the needs of student refugees and understand what steps should be implemented to make the life of our students easier and help them integrate into society. Last but not least this project gives an opportunity to encounter highly educated people and exchange the ideas and backgrounds with each other.”

In essence, if you happen to have a chance to participate in the youth event for refugee students, feel free to join, you will not regret your choice!