Periodic Reporting for period 4 - MIGNEX (Aligning Migration Management and the Migration-Development Nexus)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2023-03-01 al 2024-08-31
In order to manage the long-term challenges of global migration, Europe must create effective and coherent policies for engaging with countries of origin and transit. Effectiveness and cohesion depend on the real-world mechanisms at work: How do the root causes of migration operate? What do prospective migrants see as alternatives to migration? How do policy measures interact with other factors in shaping migration outcomes?
The project’s overall objective was to contribute to more effective and coherent migration management through evidence-based understanding of the linkages between development and migration.
Steps toward this objective comprised extensive research in ten strategically relevant countries of origin and transit, including Afghanistan, Guinea, Somalia, Nigeria and Turkey. Indeed, MIGNEX researchers collected data in 26 research areas across 10 countries, engaged with 13,174 young adults through surveys, conducted 104 focus group discussions, 516 key informant interviews and 168 policy expert interviews.
Correctly identifying two-way causal mechanisms between migration and development is imperative but very difficult. The project design incorporated two innovative responses to this challenge. First, it followed a principle of disaggregation, which, among other things, entails specific attention to local-level mechanisms. Second, the analysis combined conventional methods, such as multivariate regression, with Qualitative Comparative Analysis, which is a technique that allows for identifying complex causal relationship on the basis of in-depth case studies.
The major findings from the MIGNEX project were synthesized in the three flagship reports: “New insights on the causes of migration”; “New insights on the development impact of migration” and “Towards migration policy coherence”.
The project’s overall objective was to contribute to more effective and coherent migration management through evidence-based understanding of the linkages between development and migration.
Steps toward this objective comprised extensive research in ten strategically relevant countries of origin and transit, including Afghanistan, Guinea, Somalia, Nigeria and Turkey. Indeed, MIGNEX researchers collected data in 26 research areas across 10 countries, engaged with 13,174 young adults through surveys, conducted 104 focus group discussions, 516 key informant interviews and 168 policy expert interviews.
Correctly identifying two-way causal mechanisms between migration and development is imperative but very difficult. The project design incorporated two innovative responses to this challenge. First, it followed a principle of disaggregation, which, among other things, entails specific attention to local-level mechanisms. Second, the analysis combined conventional methods, such as multivariate regression, with Qualitative Comparative Analysis, which is a technique that allows for identifying complex causal relationship on the basis of in-depth case studies.
The major findings from the MIGNEX project were synthesized in the three flagship reports: “New insights on the causes of migration”; “New insights on the development impact of migration” and “Towards migration policy coherence”.
- Developed an extensive project website and prepared five publication series
- Appointed an End-User Board who was closely involved with the project
- Recruited an End-User Panel with 100+ members who were surveyed on an annual basis
- Published a detailed strategy for Communication and updated the plan for exploitation and dissemination of results
- Sent 17 project newsletters with more than 700 subscribers
- Implemented processes for ensuring ethics clearances and approvals in the countries of research
- Following the pilot fieldwork, organised experience-sharing workshops serving to refine the survey data collection instrument and the process for qualitative fieldwork
- Carried out fieldwork and collected data in 26 research areas across 10 countries
- Finalised survey data collection in all research areas and engaged with 13,174 young adults through surveys
- Finalised qualitative data collection in all research areas and conducted 104 focus group discussions
- Finalised policy data collection in all countries and carried out 516 key informant interviews and 168 policy expert interviews
- Published 14 Handbook Chapters which served as documentation of project procedures and data as well primarily forming a tool for quality assurance and communication within the consortium
- Published 26 Case Study Briefs of interactions between migration and development in each research area
- Published 29 Background papers which are scientific papers with analyses that provide foundations for conclusions and policy implications that are presented in other formats
- Published 10 Policy Briefs that are short, illustrated publications that focus on selected findings of particular relevance to the policy community
- Published 3 flagship Reports which synthesise the major findings of the MIGNEX project
- Produced 2 insight videos exploring some of the key findings and methods of the project
- Published 6 journal articles in scientific journals and started developing several others
- Completed the QCA analysis
- Analyzed of the effects of development on migration
- Analyzed the effects of migration on development
- Identified opportunities for sound management of transit migration
- Examined the links between migration legislation and new policy tools for migration management
- Clarified the links between migration management, development processes, and migrant integration
- Disentangled the foundations of policy incoherence in European migration and development policy
- Assessed the effectiveness of the overall European approach to third-country cooperation on migration
- Convened a major Policy Conference on future EU migration and development policy, gathering more than 120 experts from diverse sectors across and beyond Europe
- Coordinated an agenda-setting academic conference titled “New knowledge on migration, development and policy” at the University of Oxford
- Organized several regional stakeholder events (including IOM, EEAS, Development agencies, and the Global Forum on Migration and Development)
- Engaged with the media, including through op-eds
- Appointed an End-User Board who was closely involved with the project
- Recruited an End-User Panel with 100+ members who were surveyed on an annual basis
- Published a detailed strategy for Communication and updated the plan for exploitation and dissemination of results
- Sent 17 project newsletters with more than 700 subscribers
- Implemented processes for ensuring ethics clearances and approvals in the countries of research
- Following the pilot fieldwork, organised experience-sharing workshops serving to refine the survey data collection instrument and the process for qualitative fieldwork
- Carried out fieldwork and collected data in 26 research areas across 10 countries
- Finalised survey data collection in all research areas and engaged with 13,174 young adults through surveys
- Finalised qualitative data collection in all research areas and conducted 104 focus group discussions
- Finalised policy data collection in all countries and carried out 516 key informant interviews and 168 policy expert interviews
- Published 14 Handbook Chapters which served as documentation of project procedures and data as well primarily forming a tool for quality assurance and communication within the consortium
- Published 26 Case Study Briefs of interactions between migration and development in each research area
- Published 29 Background papers which are scientific papers with analyses that provide foundations for conclusions and policy implications that are presented in other formats
- Published 10 Policy Briefs that are short, illustrated publications that focus on selected findings of particular relevance to the policy community
- Published 3 flagship Reports which synthesise the major findings of the MIGNEX project
- Produced 2 insight videos exploring some of the key findings and methods of the project
- Published 6 journal articles in scientific journals and started developing several others
- Completed the QCA analysis
- Analyzed of the effects of development on migration
- Analyzed the effects of migration on development
- Identified opportunities for sound management of transit migration
- Examined the links between migration legislation and new policy tools for migration management
- Clarified the links between migration management, development processes, and migrant integration
- Disentangled the foundations of policy incoherence in European migration and development policy
- Assessed the effectiveness of the overall European approach to third-country cooperation on migration
- Convened a major Policy Conference on future EU migration and development policy, gathering more than 120 experts from diverse sectors across and beyond Europe
- Coordinated an agenda-setting academic conference titled “New knowledge on migration, development and policy” at the University of Oxford
- Organized several regional stakeholder events (including IOM, EEAS, Development agencies, and the Global Forum on Migration and Development)
- Engaged with the media, including through op-eds
The project was driven by one overarching objective: Contribute to more effective and coherent migration management through evidence-based understanding of the linkages between development and migration.
Progress beyond the state of the art was achieved in (1) making new connections between migration management and the migration–development nexus, and (2) new insights on specific topics, including the causation of migration and the dynamics of policy coherence.
The expected impacts of MIGNEX were:
- Impact 1: A better understanding of the determinants of migration and the two-way interaction between migration and development processes
For Impact 1, we have produced new insights on the relationship between migration and development, with particular insights deriving from the research-area-level research design, showing for instance that the drivers of migration are mostly divergent across different areas. We’ve provided relevant insights on the root causes of migration and related questions, while also making advances to the scientific literature.
- Impact 2: Enhanced policy coherence and effectiveness in the EU’s approach to third-country cooperation on migration
In relation to Impact 2, we have considered policy coherence and the effectiveness of EU policies with regards to third countries both conceptually, and in relation to specific sets of policies. MIGNEX research encourages policy makers to be more considerate in the quest for policy coherence and encouraged a new approach in the relationship between the EU and non-EU partners for more meaningful and effective cooperation.
- Impact 3: Stronger conceptual tools for interpreting the role of the EU and its Member States as global actors in the field of migration
Regarding Impact 3, we have shed light on the connections across policy fields and the importance of indirect mechanisms that are easily overlooked in efforts to tackle challenges head-on. We’ve shown the best role for the EU is sometimes more of a facilitating or enabling one, and also a holistic one that averts the most glaring policy incoherences, even if ‘policy coherence’ remains an elusive objective.
We have not only made progress towards these expected impacts through our quality data, strong analysis and scientific advances, but also by reframing key insights for policy-makers in tailored publications and policy dialogues, without losing the nuance.
Progress beyond the state of the art was achieved in (1) making new connections between migration management and the migration–development nexus, and (2) new insights on specific topics, including the causation of migration and the dynamics of policy coherence.
The expected impacts of MIGNEX were:
- Impact 1: A better understanding of the determinants of migration and the two-way interaction between migration and development processes
For Impact 1, we have produced new insights on the relationship between migration and development, with particular insights deriving from the research-area-level research design, showing for instance that the drivers of migration are mostly divergent across different areas. We’ve provided relevant insights on the root causes of migration and related questions, while also making advances to the scientific literature.
- Impact 2: Enhanced policy coherence and effectiveness in the EU’s approach to third-country cooperation on migration
In relation to Impact 2, we have considered policy coherence and the effectiveness of EU policies with regards to third countries both conceptually, and in relation to specific sets of policies. MIGNEX research encourages policy makers to be more considerate in the quest for policy coherence and encouraged a new approach in the relationship between the EU and non-EU partners for more meaningful and effective cooperation.
- Impact 3: Stronger conceptual tools for interpreting the role of the EU and its Member States as global actors in the field of migration
Regarding Impact 3, we have shed light on the connections across policy fields and the importance of indirect mechanisms that are easily overlooked in efforts to tackle challenges head-on. We’ve shown the best role for the EU is sometimes more of a facilitating or enabling one, and also a holistic one that averts the most glaring policy incoherences, even if ‘policy coherence’ remains an elusive objective.
We have not only made progress towards these expected impacts through our quality data, strong analysis and scientific advances, but also by reframing key insights for policy-makers in tailored publications and policy dialogues, without losing the nuance.