Course description

There is no lack of scientific evidence or information about migration. In fact, the EU and other organisations have invested heavily in enhancing the evidence base. However, several gaps between research and policymaking remain. Often, research outcomes are sidelined, not fully considered, or misunderstood due to communication gaps, political pressures, or misalignment with real-world needs.

For researchers in this field, it is not enough to conduct rigorous research and produce evidence-based findings. A key challenge and opportunity for migration researchers is ensuring that research insights are useful, practical, and applicable to address and respond to today’s migration challenges. This requires integrating research insights into policy formulation and implementation and making research accessible and contextualised at local, national, and international levels of governance.

Based on the successful experience of the first edition in March 2025, this two-day executive training will develop and strengthen participants’ skills in effective research to policy engagement around migration Run by the Horizon Europe-funded INNOVATE project’s Migration to Research Policy Co-Lab, this flagship training will help participants know how to identify factors that help build strong connections and collaboration with research users and effectively disseminate and communicate research findings and outcomes. By focusing on the unique challenges of engaging with non-academic stakeholders, this training will empower participants to maximise the impact of their work.

The training will combine the practical experiences and perspectives of academic researchers with the experience of policymakers and advisors working for governments and civil society organisations. Participants will work together to identify and understand some of the key challenges and good engagement practices between research, policies, and practices.

A detailed schedule, the final lineup of speakers, and overview of learning activities will be published when the date approaches.

Check out the programme

Information for applicants

• The training course will take place in person on the premises of the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence, Italy, on 24 and 25 November 2025. Participants will be expected to be present on our campus in Florence, Italy, on the days of the training;
• The programme will include approximately 12-14 hours of in-session training;
• There is a fee of 200 euros to attend the training, which covers organisational costs, as well as lunches and coffee breaks provided at the EUI.
• Participants will need to cover the costs of travel and accommodation. Our events team can offer you recommendations on accommodation in the city;
• Participants will be enrolled in our Virtual Learning Environment (Brightspace) to access course materials.
• Some pre-training readings will be required.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this training, the participants will be able to:

• Effectively engage with the users of research about research evidence;
• Construct engagement strategies that facilitate enhanced use of research evidence;
• Understand and incorporate insights from both researchers and policy-makers to understand underlying factors that can influence effective engagement;
• Comprehend the role of research evidence in migration debates, limits to the use of evidence and factors that can mitigate or overcome these limits.

Who should attend

• Journalists and communication professionals
• Researchers
• Researchers within universities or think tanks
• Consultants working on migration