World Refugee Day 2025: ETUCE Releases New Report on Refugee and Migrant Inclusion in Education
Published:
To mark World Refugee Day, the European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE) is publishing the latest research report from its ongoing project In and Through Education: Education Trade Unions Supporting the Inclusion of Refugees and Migrants (ETU4REF).
The report brings together responses from 46 education trade unions across 32 European countries, alongside discussions from dedicated round tables held in Lisbon and Dublin. It sheds light on how teachers and their unions are working to ensure that education systems respond to the needs of refugee and migrant learners and staff—and what still needs to change.
Although many unions already have policies in place to support inclusion, the research makes it clear that implementation often falls short. Teachers continue to face mounting challenges: managing classrooms where multiple languages are spoken, supporting students who have experienced trauma, and navigating under-resourced schools, all while lacking the training and support they need.
The situation of Ukrainian refugees receives particular attention in the report. While governments acted quickly in the early stages of the crisis, the findings suggest that longer-term planning and resources are needed to sustain meaningful inclusion.
The report calls for more targeted training and support for teachers, sustained investment in inclusive schools, and stronger social dialogue between unions and authorities. These are not just technical fixes—they are political choices that reflect how seriously societies take the principle of education for all.
Publishing this report on World Refugee Day is a reminder of what’s at stake. If Europe wants to uphold the right to education and build inclusive, democratic school systems, then teachers must be at the centre of that effort—not just in words, but in practice.
Download the report here:
Download the executive summary here :