With the influx of refugees rising to unprecedented numbers in 2015, German universities have started to develop a broad range of activities for potential students among refugees. In this contribution, we will highlight central characteristics of these programs drawing on findings from a case study in nine universities. We will argue that debates on internationalization have a strong impact on the programs whereas aspects of diversity management or even third mission are becoming less important.

Keywords
higher education, refugees, universities, third mission, internationalization, diversity