milestone in global solidarity with refugees and the mainly developing countries hosting them. In particular, the New York declaration and the establishment of the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) has given the global community a further opportunity to positively impact refugee protection and solutions, and to focus on the important role that education plays through an inclusive and partnership approach. In advancing pathways to durable solutions for refugees, UNHCR and its partners focus on the following areas in the field of higher education: Scholarship programmes in the first country of asylum: DAFI – The Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee initiative – funded by the German Government and private donors; Connected Learning programmes – a blended learning approach in partnership with a network of accredited universities; Advocacy and partnership agreements with Ministries, Universities and Academia to expand access for refugee students and to mitigate barriers that prevent refugee students to enrol in university; Establishing and developing complementary pathways of admission for refugees through access to higher education opportunities, such as scholarships, in a third country. The DAFI programme The DAFI programme provides scholarships to refugees in their first country of asylum over a period of 4 years. The awards cover a wide range of costs from tuition fees and study materials to food, transport, accommodation and other allowances. Close monitoring, academic preparatory and language classes based on students’ needs, as well as activities encouraging peer support, are among examples of further resources available to DAFI students. The quality and success of the DAFI programme is partly based on the thorough selection process which not only takes high academic achievement into account, but also considers vulnerability criteria, the students’ motivation and their community engagement. This process ensures a diverse, inclusive and highly motivated group of DAFI scholars. The strategic priorities of the DAFI programme are to: Develop human capital of refugee communities to contribute to durable solutions, including rebuilding political, economic and social structures upon repatriation; Promote self-reliance of the sponsored students through opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship; Empower students to contribute knowledge, skills and leadership to the refugee community, and to facilitate peaceful coexistence with host communities during displacement; Strengthen the protective impact of education by encouraging lifelong learning for young refugees; Foster future role models for refugee children and youth to demonstrate the impact of education on individuals, communities and societies. Some key facts and figures for 2015 Number of