University of Leicester and Alsama Project to establish a world-first certification to support displaced youth in accessing higher education
The University of Leicester is partnering with education NGO Alsama Project to create a world-first certification to recognise the academic achievements of displaced youth and enable them to study at higher education institutions across the world.
Called the G12++, it will establish a pathway for displaced youth globally to prove their skills and capabilities and have their academic achievements recognised so they can access university education, despite the broken, non-formal education many have. Launching in 2026, it will help displaced youth to overcome the impact of conflict and disaster on learning around the world.
The partnership has been established with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by Professor Elizabeth Jones from the University of Leicester and Meike Ziervogel, CEO of Alsama Project.
Alsama Project is transforming education for displaced youth with its innovative accelerated learning programme, developed in refugee camps in Lebanon. Alsama is redefining what ‘end-to-end’ education looks like for such youth with disrupted and/or informal learning. Their students, in just 6 years, achieve what most young people do in 12.
Although Alsama’s programme can rapidly educate its students from illiteracy to university / employment level, its students, and displaced youth across the world, still face a barrier to higher education and jobs. Why? Because they don't have a formally documented qualification. Alsama’s G12++ certification, created with the University of Leicester, is a groundbreaking solution. It innovatively recognises displaced learners’ achievements within their context and tackles the global disparity in university access between displaced and non-displaced youth.
The G12++ is a high-school graduation equivalency certification which monitors whether a young out-of-school person has skills that rival traditionally educated high school graduates, and whether they are also academically ready for university or employment. Leicester is supporting the development of the test through providing test writing expertise to work as part of the team. Importantly, the certification is curriculum-agnostic, meaning it judges skill and talent – rather than the ability to regurgitate learnt information. For a talented young person, this means that no matter how you gained your abilities (and for most displaced youth, that is through a broken/non-formal education), you can still prove them.
Wissal Al-Gaber, a student at Alsama Project graduating in 2026 and among the 1st cohort of G12++ candidates, said: “Attending university is imperative step in helping me become a psychologist. I hope to explore the diverse experiences that university life offers, gain new perspectives, and receive a world-class education. It will play a crucial part in shaping the person I aspire to be and my ability to return to Syria and help rebuild the society I come from.
“Taking the G12++ is essential for me to pursue higher education because it is designed for people like me. It will help me prove my skills and potential to universities and employers, despite my disrupted education. This is because it doesn’t focus on a specific curriculum, but the actual skills I’ve learnt at Alsama. With the G12++, I can show my ability to thrive and excel like other people my age.”
The G12++ addresses the 15 by 30 GSDG pledge by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, which aims to get 15% of refugees into higher education by 2030 and which the University of Leicester is signed up to. The University of Leicester is part of the University of Sanctuary community and is committed to working to make Higher Education institutions places of safety, solidarity and empowerment for people seeking sanctuary.
Philip Horspool, Director of Centre for International Training and Education (CITE) at the University of Leicester, said: “We recognise that there is a barrier to displaced youth and asylum seekers entering further education and this initiative to develop a test that would give them access into higher education seems like a perfect opportunity to help not only the people that Alsama are working with, but also other displaced youth around the world.”
This collaborative work on the G12++ certification exemplifies ‘reaching across boundaries,’ uniting Alsama, a grassroots organisation working directly with out-of-school learners, and the University of Leicester with its long history of broadening access to higher education. The partnership with Alsama will also see Leicester directly supporting displaced youth by offering a number of scholarships to Alsama students.
Meike Ziervogel, CEO and Co-Founder of Alsama Project, said: "This MOU with the University of Leicester is a pivotal step for Alsama’s G12++ certification. It reflects our shared dedication to enabling displaced youth to gain a suitable qualification needed to prove their talent and access higher education. With the University of Leicester’s expertise and commitment, we are creating an innovative pathway for young people who not only have overcome extraordinary challenges to reach their ambitions, but out-work, out-learn and, overall, out-perform more privileged students from around the globe."
Professor Elizabeth Jones, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Education at the University of Leicester, said: “At the University of Leicester we are passionate about providing the highest quality education in the most inclusive and supportive way. We’re delighted to be working in partnership with Alsama, an inspiring organisation that provides education for displaced youth. By helping Alsama create a qualification that is recognised by universities, we have the potential to change lives for the better and give hope to people in the most difficult circumstances.”