The education of recently arrived refugees in Germany. Conditions, processes, and outcomes

Abstract

Around the world, the number of refugees is at a record high. Although most forcibly displaced persons seek refuge within their home country or in a neighboring state (UNHCR, 2020), a large number of refugees have reached Europe in recent years, and many of them have settled in Germany (Eurostat, 2020). As many refugees were children and adolescents when they arrived in Germany (Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018), their successful incorporation into the educational system is of great relevance. This includes, above all, the acquisition of fundamental skills and competences as well as the eventual completion of educational qualifications. In the adult refugee population, most individuals are also quite young (Spörlein, Kristen, Schmidt, & Welker, 2020). To succeed in the labor market, many of them need to acquire further skills and competences as well as educational qualifications by, for example, taking language classes or attending training tailored to the requirements and the structure of the German labor market. The successful educational integration of recently arrived refugees at various stages in their life course is of paramount importance for them and for their receiving society alike.