While Germany in 2015/2016 took in only a fraction (890,000, and 280,000) of the number of refugees sheltered in contrast simultaneously by Turkey (2.5 million) and other neighboring countries in the Middle East, the European “refugee crisis” has brought about new political, social and economic challenges. Despite a post-war history as a magnet for migration, Germany was largely unprepared for the refugee influx and Federal, state and local authorities had to act quickly to address a rapidly evolving situation. For the HE sector, the refugee inflow, however, has not been seen as a crisis but instead as an opportunity to implement reforms and to strengthen the system for all students. With generous Federal support channeled primarily through the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), by now over half the country’s HE institutions have created innovative programming to assist qualified refugees as they navigate the complex pathways into the system. Managing this level of support, however, has not come without complications that have required creativity and goodwill by all stakeholders at all levels, from Federal and state down to institutional and individual. This chapter shares a study of in-depth interviews that were conducted with administrators at seven of the largest public research and technic

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