Open Education & OLIve

We are Open Education, a non-profit organization affiliated with the Central European University (CEU). We are dedicated to creating a safe and inclusive learning space for people who have experienced displacement, including asylum seekers and those with refugee status.We run a weekend program called OLIve (Open Learning Initiative) located in the premises of CEU.

What we Stand For

We stand for equality in access to education. We believe in providing those who have experienced displacement with tools to foster inclusion and also to take part in national and societal debates about the terms of their inclusion. We are motivated by a sense that refugees and asylum seekers are subject to short term thinking about integration, as well as discourses and policies based on fear and impressions of security threats that have a negative impact on the welfare and migration projects of refugees and their families.

Aims

OLIve aims to support students in:

  • developing their critical thinking
  • furthering skills and practical knowledge needed for (better) employment
  • building confidence, organizing and communication skills so students can be active citizens who set their own terms of inclusion and advocate for their and other’s rights
  • applying to full time university or college programs
  • succeeding in currently enrolled school or other education/training programs
  • exploring creative and artistic ways to understand and intervene in society  
  • allowing inquisitiveness and curiosity to flourish in a university setting through being exposed to new disciplines, theories, and ideas

History

In the summer of 2015, thousands of people escaping war and insecurity tried to make their way through Hungary. Large numbers became stuck for some weeks in train stations in Budapest. Along with members of the Budapest civil society, CEU staff, students and faculty worked to provide humanitarian and other assistance. By the end of the summer, as the ‘crisis’ dissipated, attention turned to those who remained.

The OLIve Weekend Program was set up to provide refugees and asylum seekers with access to education, job market training and English language skills. Organized jointly with Migszol (Migrant Solidarity Group of Hungary), OLIve Weekend Program started in January 2016 enrolling up to 45 students per term.

After a pause in our activities, the non-profit company Open Education was set up in February 2019 and continues the work of OLIve Weekend Program.