Scaling Solutions: WUSC’s Two-Year Progress Report on our Commitments at the 2023 Global Refugee Forum

Around the world, WUSC is working hand-in-hand with partners, youth leaders, and refugee-led organizations to advance durable solutions for refugees. Two years ago, at the Global Refugee Forum—the largest global gathering on refugee issues—we made ambitious pledges to expand access to education and economic opportunities, champion complementary pathways globally and promote refugee-led solutions and participation. At the halfway mark, we are seeing real momentum. Here is how our network is delivering on those commitments and helping build stronger, more inclusive systems for refugees everywhere.

Expanding Education Pathways and Developing Welcoming Communities in Canada

Through the Student Refugee Program, we are continuing to expand education pathways and foster welcoming communities in Canada. 

• Over the past two academic years, we have welcomed 302 refugee students to Canada, to pursue their postsecondary studies at institutions across the country. 
• Together with UNHCR, we brought together over 30 stakeholders to explore how to scale education pathways nationally.

Expanding Economic Mobility Pathways in Canada 

In 2024, we launched HIRES-EMPP, our labour mobility initiative in Malawi.

• Through HIRES-EMPP  we welcomed 20 refugee youth to Canada, who successfully transitioned to employment placements in British Columbia’s hospitality sector.
• We have newly onboarded employer partners in Alberta and will welcome a second cohort of 16 refugee youth expected to arrive in 2026. 
• To date, 92 refugees have come to Canada through our labour mobility initiative.

In Nova Scotia, we launched a new skills-based pathway pilot to help displaced pharmacy graduates living in Jordan gain their professional accreditation and find employment. The first cohort includes 10 refugee pharmacists trained in Jordan who are being recertified, matched with employment opportunities and resettled.  

These pathways are connecting skilled talent with labour needs, while offering young people the chance to build stable, fulfilling futures.

Championing Education Pathways to Third Countries and Improve Global Practices: Solutions-focused Technical Expertise and Capacity Building 

As the organization behind the world’s longest-running education pathway for refugees, WUSC is committed to strengthening global practices through technical support.

• In the Philippines, we are providing tailored capacity strengthening to support the country’s Complementary Pathways program (CPath)—improving coordination, program design, and knowledge exchanges.
• In Jordan, our Refugee-Led Counseling project is being led by 27 refugee leaders who are providing guidance and sharing information with people who have been impacted by forced displacement to help them access complementary pathways.

This work is helping to strengthen complementary pathways globally and make them more accessible.

Expanding Refugee Access to Postsecondary Education and Self-Reliance 

Through our DREEM project, in partnership with Mastercard Foundation, we are unlocking new opportunities for postsecondary access and economic self-reliance for young refugees across Africa.

• Outreach efforts connected over 20 universities with displaced communities across five African countries, equipping 3,171 young people with information to help them access scholarships.
• Our technical assistance has led universities—such as Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana—to adopt more inclusive policies, such as flexible admissions timelines and direct engagement with refugee-led organizations to support admission processes for students impacted by forced displacement. 
• A pilot with refugee-led organizations trained 25 peer-to-peer advisors who have already reached 4,371 young people, providing them with guidance to help access scholarship opportunities.

By strengthening institutions and sharing practical tools, we are helping create more inclusive systems that open doors for displaced youth. 

Supporting the Economic Inclusion and Self-Reliance of Refugees 

The DREEM project is also expanding digital and market-oriented livelihood opportunities for young refugees. 

• We strengthened four digital hubs, expected to create at least 150 new employment opportunities for refugee and displaced youth. 
• Through our Innovation Fund, entrepreneurs in refugee and host communities received grants, business development support, and peer-to-peer mentorship.

These initiatives are sparking innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic resilience in refugee and host communities.

Promoting Refugee-led Solutions and Participation

Across all of WUSC’s work, we prioritize refugee leadership, partnership, and participation.

• Through DREEM alone, we have partnered with over 25 refugee-led organizations. 
• We have engaged over 50 young refugee and displaced leaders in program design and implementation in Canada, Jordan, and across Africa.

By working directly with refugee communities, we are helping to strengthen community-led support systems, ensuring ongoing mentorship, guidance, and access to information and opportunities, long after individual projects end.

Looking Ahead

As we look ahead to the next two years, our momentum is driven by the energy of young people, the leadership of refugee communities, and the dedication of our partners. Together, we are proving that durable solutions are not only possible—they are already taking shape. With each step forward, we move closer to a world where every young refugee can thrive and belong. And we are just getting started.