From 29 June to 5 July, ICMPD hosted students and young professionals at the 2025 International Summer School on Migration in Armenia. Implemented by ICMPD, this 12th summer school organised under the framework of the EU-funded STREAMinG 2 project, Prague Process, and with the involvement of OSCE, brought together 38 participants from Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, and Ukraine for a week-long academic programme to deepen their understanding of contemporary migration issues.
This year’s program 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. It combined academic lectures, practical workshops, and group discussions to foster critical thinking, regional dialogue, and collaborative learning among future migration professionals.
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.
“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.
This annual Summer School has become a flagship initiative of ICMPD, designed to empower the next generation of migration professionals and future policymakers 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 and provided a platform for exchange and learning to support evidence-based migration governance across the region.
Watch the two-minute video showcasing highlights from the 2024 Summer School in Georgia.
