An ongoing collaborative effort by the University of Ottawa and the American University of Beirut to research, develop, and use open-access online learning materials for individuals and communities to hone their skills in collective action (cooperation), coping, and communication. CMIC brings an innovative approach to higher education in protracted refugee contexts, as it combines the elements of theory and practice, in-class and online learning, and local and international post-secondary institutional participation. This approach will simultaneously improve access to higher education, connect Syrian refugee youth with members of their host community and provide participants with skills to design community intervention that improve community resiliency. The hybrid nature of this model will capitalize on both online learning technology and tools with a community-based approach of experiential learning. This program will be open to all Syrian refugees as well as host-community members. The inclusion of the host community is integral to fostering cohesion between the two communities and addressing the needs and issues of both. We prioritize building the capacity of local populations and organizations, in order to support the building of community resilience through community mobilization. To achieve this, the CMIC will be designed on a framework of ‘learning by doing’. At every stage, participants will be engaged in learning that works to develop their capacity and technical and leadership skills to develop and implement participatory interventions and solution that address their needs during and beyond the current crisis.
