The project contributes to the research done in the NCCR On the Move: Migration and Mobility Nexus - project "The Mobility of the Highly Skilled towards Switzerland" by focusing on the situation of refugees at universities. The project adds an international comparative perspective by studying the situation at the universities of Basel (CH), Freiburg (D) and Mulhouse (FR). Moreover, it combines the perspective of migration of the highly skilled with the perspective of the migration channel of asylum. Refugees so far are neither in the focus of studies on migration of the highly skilled, nor are highly skilled mirants in the focus of studies on asylum.The project looks at the protection oriented channel of migration and its intermediaries in the context of universities. Moreover, it asks for different ways of societal engagement and expectations from the stakeholders involved. The research is based on an empirical study. Qualitative interviews are carried out with students, support organisations and university representatives.