ICMPD successfully hosted the 12th International Summer School on Migration on 29 June-4 July 2025 in Armenia.
This year’s edition brought together 38 students and young professionals from Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, and Ukraine for a week-long academic programme to deepen their understanding of contemporary migration issues.
This year’s Summer School was led by professors and experts from the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, the University of Sussex, Maastricht University, the University of Applied Arts Vienna, Free University Amsterdam, and ICMPD. Participants explored a broad range of topics, including:
- Key migration theories and trends
- Migration and development
- Migration, the economy, and demographics
- Migration narratives, media, and public perceptions of migrants
- Legal frameworks, protection of migrants and human rights
- Integration and citizenship
“We are proud to provide – already for the 12th time – a platform for young migration scholars and practitioners to exchange views and build networks across borders,” shared Violeta Wagner, Regional Portfolio Manager for Eastern Europe and Central Asia at ICMPD. “This year’s participants could very well be tomorrow’s policymakers, shaping the future of migration governance in their countries and beyond. Strengthening regional capacity is key to fostering more coherent and humane migration policies.”
Participants also highlighted the programme’s transformative impact, for themselves and for their communities.
The International Summer School on Migration has been truly thought-provoking and intellectually challenging. The ideas discussed not only enhanced my knowledge but encouraged me to critically assess issues related to economics, migration, and development.said Elene from Georgia
My experience at the ICMPD Summer School has been transformative. From learning about migration from high-profile lecturers to meeting so many talented people, I was truly fascinated. What astonished me the most was the well-structured lessons that helped me discover how diverse migration is compared to what we usually learn.shared Alen from Armenia
Funded by the European Union and in partnership with the STREAMinG 2 project, Prague Process, and with the involvement of OSCE, the programme combined academic lectures, practical workshops, and group discussions to foster critical thinking, regional dialogue, and collaborative learning among future migration professionals.
This annual Summer School has become a flagship initiative of ICMPD, designed to empower the next generation of migration professionals and future policy-makers and foster cross-border collaboration. Since its launch in 2012, the programme has brought together hundreds of participants from across the Eastern Partnership and beyond. By providing a platform for exchange and learning, the Summer School plays a key role in strengthening evidence-based migration governance across the region.
Violeta Wagner, ICMPD Regional Portfolio Manager for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, officially opening this year's International Summer School on Migration. Ms Wagner introduced the summer school's programme along with the team of professors and lecturers that included Ronald Skeldon (University of Sussex and Maastricht University), Melissa Siegel (Maastricht University), Robert McNeil (Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford), Galina Cornelisse (Free University Amsterdam), and Elisabeth Strasser (University of Applied Arts Vienna)