Easing the burden of European immigration
International migration has always, and will continue to shape Europe in terms of economic and social development, policy and politics. Policy decisions have far-reaching consequences and it is crucial that decision-makers have the full set of facts about immigration before them. Key facts for policymakers include the causes and nature of current migration processes. Stemming from these statistics is management of migration flow, maintenance of social cohesion within societies and societal viability. These and other factors were the catalyst for the formation of the EU-funded project 'International migration, integration and social sohesion in Europe' (Imiscoe). Imiscoe focused on three goals in particular – building a research programme, a training programme framework and creation of a platform for efficient dissemination. In all these objectives, consortium members took a bottom-up approach and arranged meetings and conferences for networking. Project members from a wide range of multidisciplinary backgrounds expanded current research. Notably, development of common lines of research was primarily research driven. Linked to research initiatives is the training of young researchers, seen as a long-term investment for immigration policymaking. Training for non-researchers can be made available on request and financed externally. Incentives such as prizes are available for best dissertations from researchers. Communication by the Imiscoe network will make information available to politicians, policymakers and other stakeholders in this complex arena. One primary objective is to steer both public perception and decision making using knowledge-based information. The project website at http://www.imiscoe.org/ gives in-depth details of the 9th Annual Conference to be held in 2012, news, summer schools and a range of publications. An expert database is also accessible on the site. looking to the future, the Imiscoe consortium intends to continue research on the European immigration issue. Increasing the perspective on international migration seen through different scientific and social disciplines using methodological approaches will improve the chances of social cohesion and successful integration of migrants.
