Final Report Summary - PROMINSTAT (Promoting comparative quantitative research in the field of migration and integration in Europe)
PROMINSTAT responds to the need for more reliable, more systematic and more harmonised statistical data on migration, integration and discrimination in Europe. The project's main aim was to contribute to a better understanding of migration related statistical data, data sources and data collection practices as well as data needs. Over the project's lifetime, the project team investigated the scope, availability and comparability of quantitative data in the area of migration, integration and discrimination in Europe, studying available statistical data and data collection in 29 countries. Under the coordination of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), over 40 researchers from 18 partner institutions as well as additional experts affiliated to non-partner institutions contributed to the project. The project built on earlier projects undertaken by members of the project team, notably the Fifth Framework Programme (FP5) project COMPTSTAT and the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) project THESIM, research initiatives within the IMISCOE network of excellence and similar research efforts undertaken or commissioned by key stakeholders in migration statistics such as Eurostat, the OECD and UNECE, in many of which members of the project team have been involved. The project's outputs consist of three main pillars:
1) country reports on national data collection systems in each of the 27 EU Member States as well as Norway and Switzerland;
2) a database with metainformation on quantitative datasets containing migration related information in the 29 countries covered; and
3) thematic working papers on data collection in particular thematic areas and specific issues of data collection.
These include comparative studies on the data availability and comparability in 12 thematic areas, 2 studies on conceptualising and measuring discrimination and integration respectively and a summary analysis of data needs from a policy perspective. An overview study on the availability of data concerning migration, integration and discrimination completes the third pillar of the project. The database contains over 1 400 dataset descriptions covering some 180 000 variables.
The main tool developed in the course of the project was the project database which includes over 1 400 dataset descriptions with over 180 000 variables, which document the detailed content of the datasets. The database presents an exhaustive inventory of datasets relevant for migration, integration and discrimination research in Europe and can be exploited for different purposes: For analytical purposes, the database can be used to study:
(1) data collection practices in different European countries;
(2) the general availability of certain data;
(3) and the comparability of existing data in different datasets nationally.
As such, the database has been one of the main sources of information for the PROMINSTAt country reports and the thematic studies elaborated in the project. However, the database also is intended to serve a wider audience. In conjunction with other project results that are available from the project website, the database is a source of background information on statistical data on migration and integration in Europe useful for 'ordinary' users of statistical data, including policy makers, researchers and others. Thus, researchers using data from particular data sources may use the database as a source of background information on the data they use. For policy makers and in particular relevant stakeholders in regard to migration statistics, the database is a useful inventory to review the quality, adequacy and scope of statistical data collection on migration and integration by giving a much clearer picture on what kind of data is available, which thematic areas are sufficiently covered by existing datasets and to what extent data is comparable across countries. Finally, the database can also be used for educational purposes, and in particular for training in social science methods and secondary data analysis at institutions of higher learning. The main challenge of the database will be to keep it updated in the future since data collection is a fast developing area.
To supplement the information in the database, the country reports provide a source of information for more qualitative descriptions of data collection systems in each of the countries covered. The thematic papers are the first overview studies of data availability and comparability in different areas related to migration issues and, thus, ensures that the database was exploited extensively by the project members. Besides the content-wise value, the studies include innovative research on statistics on a meta-level, an area which is comparably new and of increasing importance due to the increasing availability of data in the social sciences but also in other scientific disciplines.
The project's dissemination strategy rests on four main pillars:
(1) dissemination of project outputs through the project website;
(2) online dissemination of publications through targeted dissemination e-mails;
(3) presentation of results at international conferences and organisation of targeted workshops; as well as
(4) publication of project edited books, journal articles and other academic outputs.
The project website (please see http://www.prominstat.eu online) is the main outlet for PROMINSTAT outputs. It features six sections, namely:
1) a section with general information on the project, the project design and the project team;
2) a section describing the data collection for the project database;
3) a section containing the country reports on national data collection systems, including a description of the purpose and design of reports;
4) a section with the thematic working paper series, including a description of the purpose and format of the thematic studies published in the series;
5) a section links and descriptions of other international data archives, statistical online databases and survey programmes; and
6) a section with links to relevant institutions and projects.
Additionally, the website contains a link to the project database (please see http://www.prominstat.eu/database online). The main published outputs of the project - all available on the website - thus include the online database, the country reports and the thematic working papers. An overview of the country reports and the thematic working papers can be found in annex 2 and 3, respectively.
During the project's lifetime, project results were extensively disseminated at national and international conferences. Several project related workshops were organised and presentations of project results and database held. Major events include workshops and project presentations at the annual IMISCOE conferences in Brighton in 2007, in Bilbao in 2008 and in Stockholm in 2009 as well as at the international Metropolis conference in Bonn in 2008. The main dissemination activities targeting an international audience are presented in annex 4. In addition, project team members presented the project in a large number of smaller workshops, expert panels and other contexts.
1) country reports on national data collection systems in each of the 27 EU Member States as well as Norway and Switzerland;
2) a database with metainformation on quantitative datasets containing migration related information in the 29 countries covered; and
3) thematic working papers on data collection in particular thematic areas and specific issues of data collection.
These include comparative studies on the data availability and comparability in 12 thematic areas, 2 studies on conceptualising and measuring discrimination and integration respectively and a summary analysis of data needs from a policy perspective. An overview study on the availability of data concerning migration, integration and discrimination completes the third pillar of the project. The database contains over 1 400 dataset descriptions covering some 180 000 variables.
The main tool developed in the course of the project was the project database which includes over 1 400 dataset descriptions with over 180 000 variables, which document the detailed content of the datasets. The database presents an exhaustive inventory of datasets relevant for migration, integration and discrimination research in Europe and can be exploited for different purposes: For analytical purposes, the database can be used to study:
(1) data collection practices in different European countries;
(2) the general availability of certain data;
(3) and the comparability of existing data in different datasets nationally.
As such, the database has been one of the main sources of information for the PROMINSTAt country reports and the thematic studies elaborated in the project. However, the database also is intended to serve a wider audience. In conjunction with other project results that are available from the project website, the database is a source of background information on statistical data on migration and integration in Europe useful for 'ordinary' users of statistical data, including policy makers, researchers and others. Thus, researchers using data from particular data sources may use the database as a source of background information on the data they use. For policy makers and in particular relevant stakeholders in regard to migration statistics, the database is a useful inventory to review the quality, adequacy and scope of statistical data collection on migration and integration by giving a much clearer picture on what kind of data is available, which thematic areas are sufficiently covered by existing datasets and to what extent data is comparable across countries. Finally, the database can also be used for educational purposes, and in particular for training in social science methods and secondary data analysis at institutions of higher learning. The main challenge of the database will be to keep it updated in the future since data collection is a fast developing area.
To supplement the information in the database, the country reports provide a source of information for more qualitative descriptions of data collection systems in each of the countries covered. The thematic papers are the first overview studies of data availability and comparability in different areas related to migration issues and, thus, ensures that the database was exploited extensively by the project members. Besides the content-wise value, the studies include innovative research on statistics on a meta-level, an area which is comparably new and of increasing importance due to the increasing availability of data in the social sciences but also in other scientific disciplines.
The project's dissemination strategy rests on four main pillars:
(1) dissemination of project outputs through the project website;
(2) online dissemination of publications through targeted dissemination e-mails;
(3) presentation of results at international conferences and organisation of targeted workshops; as well as
(4) publication of project edited books, journal articles and other academic outputs.
The project website (please see http://www.prominstat.eu online) is the main outlet for PROMINSTAT outputs. It features six sections, namely:
1) a section with general information on the project, the project design and the project team;
2) a section describing the data collection for the project database;
3) a section containing the country reports on national data collection systems, including a description of the purpose and design of reports;
4) a section with the thematic working paper series, including a description of the purpose and format of the thematic studies published in the series;
5) a section links and descriptions of other international data archives, statistical online databases and survey programmes; and
6) a section with links to relevant institutions and projects.
Additionally, the website contains a link to the project database (please see http://www.prominstat.eu/database online). The main published outputs of the project - all available on the website - thus include the online database, the country reports and the thematic working papers. An overview of the country reports and the thematic working papers can be found in annex 2 and 3, respectively.
During the project's lifetime, project results were extensively disseminated at national and international conferences. Several project related workshops were organised and presentations of project results and database held. Major events include workshops and project presentations at the annual IMISCOE conferences in Brighton in 2007, in Bilbao in 2008 and in Stockholm in 2009 as well as at the international Metropolis conference in Bonn in 2008. The main dissemination activities targeting an international audience are presented in annex 4. In addition, project team members presented the project in a large number of smaller workshops, expert panels and other contexts.
