ACE, in collaboration with the Institute of International Education, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, and the Association of American Universities has put together a resource kit to help colleges and universities ensure that necessary structures and support networks are in place to welcome Afghan students and scholars.
It includes a checklist along with key questions to help institutions assess their options and readiness to host. The key questions include specific considerations under the following topics:
- Whom can we host?
- What is the time frame?
- What are the costs?
- What financial support is available?
- What other issues and considerations do we need to be aware of?
The checklist and considerations are designed to help campus leaders make decisions about capacity, as well as suggest concrete action items for senior international officers and others charged with implementation. For institutions unable to host, the kit also provides suggestions on other ways to get involved, such as coordinating volunteer opportunities, campus supply drives, and offering low-cost access to gyms, libraries, and other facilities to refugees in the community.
The process of resettling Afghan students and scholars is expected to take months or even years, and this resource document will be updated periodically to reflect new developments.
In the meantime, the four associations which created the resource kit join the wider higher education community in calling on Congress to improve and increase visa availability for displaced Afghans. This includes asking for increased funding for personnel to process Afghan visas and waiving of nonimmigrant intent requirements for those applying for F-1 or J-1 student visas.