Overview
The 2016 Autumn Academy was a symposium for senior public officials, NGO leaders and foundations from across Europe, held in Oxford. It provided a unique opportunity for those responsible for developing and implementing resettlement and integration-related policies at EU, national and city levels to share their knowledge, expertise and ideas; to consider the implications of the latest research evidence and analysis; to reflect on strategic policy and practice options; and to strengthen their networks through the opportunities for engagement.
Starting with an overview of recent drivers and trends in migration to Europe and the economic, political and security contexts in which it is taking place, the symposium explored, over four intense days of discussion and reflection, the policy challenges posed. Taking a moment to consider what is meant by ‘integration’ and what the goals of policy might be, it covered the key questions being addressed from the EU to the community level: including responsibility for and optimal means of refugee resettlement; recognising the causes of negative public attitudes and how they can be addressed; how the stigma of radicalisation can be avoided in neighbourhoods experiencing the greatest exclusion; and what Europe can learn from differing approaches adopted in North America, including ‘Welcoming Cities’ in the US and Canada’s private sponsorship model for refugees. Speakers led sessions that included presentations, problem-solving exercises and role play.
The symposium was organised by the Global Exchange on Migration and Diversity. Funding was provided by The Social Change Initiative, supported by Atlantic Philanthropies, as a programme within its own Migrant Learning Exchange initiative.
Background Papers
- Strategic Developments on Migrant Integration Policies in Europe by Thomas Huddleston, Judit Tanczos and Alexander Wolffhardt
- Review of the Research Literature on Integration and Resettlement in Europe and the Impact of Policy Interventions by Caroline Oliver
Autumn Academy speakers and participants
Selected Presentations
- Migration to Europe: drivers, trends and future scenarios (PowerPoint pdf) – Hein de Haas
- Geo-political instability, economic recession and security fears: implications for integration of past and future migrants (PowerPoint pdf) – Joaquín Arango
- Violent Micro-Processes, Security Measures and Social Cohesion (PowerPoint pdf) – Johan Leman
- Immigration and the rise of the radical right in Western Europe (PowerPoint pdf) – Robert Ford
- Understanding ‘integration’: the significance of evolving European models at national and local level (PowerPoint pdf) – Christophe Bertossi
- Why choose to go ‘intercultural’? (PowerPoint pdf) – Irena Guidikova
Listen to the session recording here - Intercultural Policy in the city of Barcelona: results and examples (PowerPoint pdf) – Ramon Sanahuja
Listen to the session recording here
Case Study: China Town in Barcelona? (pdf) - Recent trends in national integration policies and their significance (PowerPoint pdf) – Thomas Huddleston
- National policies: challenges and opportunities (text of presentation only, pdf) – Ylva Johansson MP
- National policies: challenges and opportunities (PowerPoint pdf) – Pedro Calado
- Refugee Economies: Forced Displacement and Development (PowerPoint pdf) – Alex Betts
Listen to the session recording here
- Integration of Refugees into Language, Training and Work (PowerPoint pdf) – Wolfgang Müller
- Refugee Resettlement in Canada (PowerPoint pdf) – Sharon Chomyn
- Refugees, Integration and the Case of Vienna (PowerPoint pdf) – Sonia Wehsely (delivered by Natascha Strobl)
Listen to the session recording here
Asylum Procedure in Austria (Infographic) - Integration at local level: Cities as incubators of integration (PowerPoint pdf) – Anu Riila
- Welcoming Cities: innovation from the US (PowerPoint pdf) – Monica Fuentes
- Civil Society Experiences at the Local Level (PowerPoint pdf) – Petra Hueck & Sabir Zazai
- Integration Action Plan (text of presentation only) – Claude Moraes MEP
- Action Plan on the Integration of Third-Country Nationals (PowerPoint pdf) – Laura Corrado
- Labour market integration and social inclusion (PowerPoint pdf) – Manuela Geleng
View details about all the Autumn Academies