Refugee-Led Research Hub

About the Refugee-Led Research Hub

The Refugee-Led Research Hub (RLRH) is a global organisation that supports people with lived experience of forced displacement to become thought-leaders and changemakers in academia, research and professional life. Founded in 2020, the team works alongside a community of over 1,400 affiliates from more than 80 countries, with the majority of staff having lived experience of displacement.

RLRH operates from offices in Nairobi, Kakuma Refugee Camp (Kenya), Kuala Lumpur (Southeast Asia regional hub), the University of Oxford, and an Oxfordshire community hub, with a new office opening in Kampala, Uganda in mid-2026. There is also an active affiliate community in Amman, Jordan.

programmes

RLRH's work spans three interconnected pillars: academic programmes, research, and livelihoods.

Academic Pillar

The Academic Pillar supports displacement-affected learners to access postgraduate education, particularly master's degrees and PhD programmes. Through tailored courses, mentorship, and institutional partnerships, RLRH creates structured pathways from undergraduate study to postgraduate leadership. Flagship initiatives include Graduate Horizons, a graduate access programme that has supported over 750 learners to date, with more than 400 applications submitted and over 50 offers secured at universities including Oxford, Cambridge, Pretoria, Makerere, and the University of Global Health Equity. RSC Pathways, a foundational course in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies, and Refugee Studies Foundations also form part of the academic offering.

Research Pillar

The Research Pillar creates opportunities for researchers with displacement backgrounds to lead primary and secondary research studies in the social sciences and humanities, from design through to publication. The research agenda is guided by the priorities of forcibly displaced communities and aims to contribute directly to policy and practice. An overview of publications is available at refugeeledresearch.org.

livelihoods Pillar

The Livelihoods Pillar connects affiliates with professional development opportunities and supports the transition into meaningful careers. The Graduate Traineeship, which completed its first cohort in Nairobi in early 2026, prepares recent graduates for paid placements with values-aligned organisations. To date, RLRH has facilitated placements with more than 60 partner organisations.

Get involvedVisit the RLRH website at refugeeledresearch.org for current opportunities, news, research publications, and details of how to collaborate. Enquiries can be directed to info@refugeeledresearch.org.