The Migration Policy Centre is now taking applications for the inaugural Migration Winter Academy which will take place in Florence from 5 to 9 February 2024.
The inaugural Migration Winter Academy will address the theme of A Global Protection Crisis? Causes, Consequences and Futures.
The Migration Winter Academy will provide an opportunity for participants to learn about recent trends in research and policy on the protection of migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers on a global scale.
Who should apply: early- to mid-career professionals working on topics related to asylum, border management, displacement, human trafficking, migrant integration, international protection, and statelessness. We welcome applications from individuals at an advanced stage of their Ph.D. or postdoctoral level, those working for civil society organisations, media companies, government agencies, international organisations, and private companies.
Application deadline: Secure your spot by October 31, 2023, at 22:00 (CET) to avail of the full fee, or take advantage of the early-bird fee until October 24, 2023, at 22:00 (CET)
Winter Academy 2024 Theme
Protection for people that are displaced across national borders has become a key issue in debates about global migration. This is because of the clear protection gaps as they affect millions of displaced people that raise urgent policy concerns that range from the local to the global levels. It is also clear that there is an urgent need to provide higher standards of protection and to strengthen legal and political frameworks. Such frameworks can be hindered or impeded by the linking of migration, asylum and refugee flows to crises of various kinds, including climate change. This tendency to address displacement and protection in terms of crisis may involve representations or misrepresentations of the numbers of people seeking protection as a crisis or the political strains and tensions that become evident as political leaders respond to protection issues and to the millions of migrants that depend on more effective responses. It is also the case that there are variation in response with significant differences at national and regional levels.
The Winter Academy will provide deep and rich insight into the dynamics of protection while looking closely at gaps, tendencies to crisis and institutional strengths and weaknesses on a global scale. The Winter Academy will draw on research that explores the underlying drivers of attitudes to migrants in need of protection, the development of related policy ‘narratives’ and communication strategies that can effectively appeal to the public and build support for more effective protection.
The Winter Academy will combine theory and practice, with interactive activities that are designed to employ research findings to produce effective and sustainable operational solutions.
The Winter Academy provides a unique opportunity to take advantage of the unique research facilities of the international campus of the European University Institute (including the Library) and to network with an enriching mix of postgraduate students, civil servants, officials at international organisations, representatives from NGOs and other civil society organisations, journalists, policy analysts, and teachers from around the world.
What you will gain
- Explore state-of-the-art research on global and regional trends on the protection of migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers on a global scale;
- Compare recent policy and regulatory shifts on issues of asylum, border management, displacement, human trafficking, migrant integration, international protection, and statelessness;
- Think critically about protection gaps;
- Engage in peer learning and immersive networking with an outstanding mix of professionals
Format
The Winter Academy will take place in a fully residential mode and will follow a problem-oriented approach to encourage critical engagement. Participants will also be provided the opportunity to present their own work and receive feedback from the tutors and their peers. Over the course of the 5 days, participants will be supported by extensive background material, debates, group work, individual drop-in sessions with tutors plus sessions during which attendees can present their own projects.
Eligibility
Successful applications to the Winter Academy will satisfy the following criteria:
A relevant Master’s degree or equivalent experience;
A strong professional and/or research background in international migration;
An excellent working knowledge (speaking and writing) of English;
The availability to attend the entire teaching sessions of the programme.
Researchers, civil servants, journalists, teachers, and professionals from intergovernmental and governmental agencies working in migration-related areas are encouraged to apply.
Fee
The fee is €995 and includes: all tuition fees, all course materials, access to the EUI library, wifi access at the EUI, lunches and coffee breaks on lecture days. All participants are kindly requested to organise and cover expenses for their travel to and from Florence, as well as their local transportation in Florence and accommodation. The MPC secretariat will support the selected candidates in finding the accommodation.
Early- Bird Fee
Applicants who will submit their application by 24 October at 22:00 CET will benefit from an early-bird fee of €895.
Fee-waiver
A fee-waiver will be granted to two outstanding candidates applying from low-income and lower-middle-income economies in Africa and Asia according to the following criteria:
PhD students or early career academics, early- or mid-career professionals (e.g. in politics, civil service, media and non-governmental organisations), able to demonstrate both professional experience and potential for future excellence in the policy sphere;
Genuinely engaged individuals involved in policy issues related to migration either through registration on a PhD programme or through demonstration of substantial relevant career experience;
Self-motivated, able to present a clear explanation of why and how the applicant will benefit from participation in the winter academy;
Fluent in written and spoken English.
Please note that any candidate that applies for a fee-waiver place and is unsuccessful, will not be considered for a fee-paying place at the academy. Fee-waivers are not intended for participants who can be funded by their own institutions.
The selected candidates who will benefit from the fee-waiver are kindly requested to organise and cover expenses for their travel to and from Florence, as well as their local transportation in Florence and accommodation.
How to apply
Applications should be made by submitting a completed form by 24 October at 22:00 CET to benefit from the early bird fee and by 31st of October at 22:00 (CET) for the full fee. We regret that applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.
