UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, on Wednesday, 19 June 2024, signed a new Cooperation Agreement with Charles University and the school‘s Faculty of Law. The agreement is intended to further develop existing cooperation to promote academic engagement through teaching and research on forced displacement. The aim is to inspire law practitioners of the future to delve further into this legal area.
From left: Ajmal Khybari, the Head of UNHCR Office in Czechia; Charles University Rector Milena Králíčková; Faculty of Law Dean Radim Boháč.
The memorandum builds on close cooperation developed between the Faculty of Law of Charles University and UNHCR for a number of years in teaching refugee law, and involving university students in practical activities such as NGO legal clinics and internships. The work of the Centre for Migration and Refugee Law of the faculty of Law is commendable in this regard.
Faculty of Law's Radim Boháč, Charles University Rector Milena Králíčková, Faculty of Law Vice-Dean Věra Honusková, UNHCR's Ajmal Khybari.
“Thanks to our long-term cooperation, we managed to create a network of asylum law experts in all legal professions. We hope to build on this good practice with further academic initiatives,” Věra Honusková, the Vice-Dean for Faculty Development and the Head of the Centre for Migration and Refugee Law at the Faculty of Law of Charles University, confirmed.
The memorandum is signed on the occasion of World Refugee Day, celebrated on 20 June every year, focusing on solidarity with and solutions for refugees.
“The Memorandum of Understanding shows how academic institutions can support efforts for people forcibly displaced or stateless. We very much value this partnership which strengthens our global academic network and solidarity of academia and legal community with the people we serve,” added Ajmal Khybari, the Head of UNHCR Office in Czechia, pointedly.
Through their cooperation, Charles University and UNHCR also promote opportunities for refugees to access and pursue their education in Czech universities. Charles University already supports the education of refugee students from Ukraine. In addition, an important partnership with the Duolingo-UNHCR refugee student access program is evolving. Charles University is working to create opportunties through Duolingo UNHCR to be platforms for inclusion and support to all students.
