Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

Increasing refugees' prospects for employment is ultimately an important outcome for education programs in humanitarian settings. To that end, the Kepler program offers tertiary education and a path to a fully accredited bachelor’s degree from Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) through a blended approach to instruction for refugees in Kiziba refugee camp and on the Kepler Kigali campus (which serves both Rwandan and refugee students). The 3- to 4-year degree program combines online content delivery with in-person facilitation, on-the-job learning, and professional skills training.

This paper presents the results of a process evaluation of Kepler's efforts to refine their approach to formalizing internships and employment for students, as well as a survey of employers on knowledge about and attitudes toward employing refugees. Kepler has catered its degree to employment demands, recognizing that most positions that are of interest to Kepler’s students require bachelor’s degrees, and ensuring that students gain critical thinking skills, networking skills, and higher English language levels. Employers who have worked with students provided positive feedback on Kepler students’ performance in these areas, and 100% of the first Kiziba cohort successfully completed an internship. The paper also presents more detailed findings on employer knowledge and attitudes towards refugee employment.