The state of refugee education in Australia
Author Identifier (ORCID)
Abstract
Executive Summary: In this report, Refugee Education Australia (REA) and Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network Australia (MYAN) argue for more careful attention to educational planning, (co-)design, delivery, and evaluation for SfRB. Our recommendations are based around three primary arguments:
1. We call for the development of a unified national refugee education framework. This framework should provide targeted attention to key areas, including access, inclusion, transition, support, success, and the effective use of data.
2. We advocate for students from refugee backgrounds to be formally recognised as an equity cohort across all levels of education in Australia. To support consistent identification and targeted support, REA recommends that all education sectors adopt the following definition for this equity cohor “ The equity cohort of students from refugee backgrounds includes individuals who arrived in Australia on a Permanent Humanitarian Visa or Temporary Protection Visa; asylum seekers on Bridging Visas; those who arrived on non-humanitarian visas (such as skilled or student visas) but have a refugee or humanitarian background regardless of their current citizenship or residency status and those who became Australian citizens after previously holding any of these visa types” This inclusive definition recognises the intergenerational impact of forced migration and enables the identification of students with refugee or refugee-like experiences, irrespective of their residency or citizenship status. By adopting this broader definition, educational institutions can better identify a diverse cohort of students who may share experiences of forced displacement, allowing for tailored support that addresses individual needs and aligns with Australia’s contemporary migration context.
3. We advocate for more detailed data collection from the cohort of students from refugee backgrounds at all levels of education to enable educational institutions to identify diversity so that this targeted support can be provided accordingly.
Keywords
refugee education, students from refugee backgrounds, educational equity, equity cohort, refugee-background students, educational inclusion, educational access, student transitions, student support services, educational success, national education framework, refugee education policy, forced migration, humanitarian entrants, asylum seekers, Temporary Protection Visa, Bridging Visa, Permanent Humanitarian Visa, multicultural education, educational disadvantage, culturally responsive education
Non-Traditional Research Output
Report for External Body
Document Type
Report
Date of Publication
2025
Publisher
Refugee Education Australia
School
School of Education
RAS ID
88763
Content Type
Metadata only
First Page
1
Last Page
24
Recommended Citation
Refugee Education Australia. (2025). The state of refugee education in Australia. https://refugee-education.org.au/state-of refugee-education-in-australia-2025