A second chance in a foreign land.
Text: Céline Emch
Those who leave their home country must often start from scratch elsewhere. The hurdles are significant. A helping hand when launching into the unknown is therefore all the more important.
When Shamsurahman Feruten came to Switzerland from Afghanistan as a refugee in 2018, he faced a mountain of obstacles. “I felt as though I were standing in front of a huge wall,” he says of his first few months in Switzerland. Despite this, he knew exactly what he wanted to do: “I wanted to start a postgraduate degree to improve my prospects in Switzerland.”
A former diplomat, Feruten is about to complete his Master’s in Changing Societies at the University of Basel. But the road has been rocky: Language barriers, legal issues and financial uncertainties made it difficult to get started. The program “Offener Hörsaal Basel” (in English “Open Lecture Hall”) became his lifeline in these very matters.
Supportive structures
A student project, Offener Hörsaal not only enabled Feruten to attend lectures as an auditor but also provided language courses and guidance on navigating the university environment —from registration to scholarships and grants, from accessing university sports facilities to mixing with other students. The buddy program was pivotal here, arranging for students to support refugees in everyday university life and help them with any questions they may have. “My buddy has become like a brother to me,” Feruten says.
After just two semesters as an auditor, he was able to begin his master’s. “I don’t think the Offener Hörsaal team realize just how important their work is. They’re saving lives not with money, but with humanity, honesty and small deeds that change everything. It is only thanks to them that I got a second chance,” he says.
Looking back, Feruten emphasizes the central role of language: “At first, you have to put all your energy into learning the language.” Since 2022, he’s been giving German courses for refugees in the university library, making it easier for them to begin their lives in Switzerland. “Language is more than communication. It’s the key that opens the doors to society, culture, work and friendships. Ultimately, it’s the only way to break through the wall,” Feruten insists. His journey shows that giving refugees a new start isn’t just a challenge for the individual; it’s a task that requires support on many levels, a task for all of society.
University assistance.
Since 2023, the work of Offener Hörsaal has also been supported by the Coordination Office for Refugees. Refugee students can find support here during their studies. The Coordination Office offers a wide range of advice relating to finances, migration and study progress. It can also help with psychosocial issues. If required, it also provides support for correspondence with various official bodies such as social welfare and the migration office.
More articles in this issue of UNI NOVA (November 2025).