MIPEX consultations end, research begins
06/05/2010

Summary

The Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX) research is in full-swing. Having gathered key input from European-level stakeholders and experts, the project closes its consultations and delves deeper into data collection

Description

The Migration Policy Group analysts and the MIPEX scientific partners have spent four months reviewing the MIPEX indicators in consultation with top comparative researchers, European policymakers and civil society networks. This process confirms the relevance of the indicators and enables tweaks to be made to improve the strength and clarity of the index, as well as suggesting new indicators that stakeholders can use in their own research and work.

New strand, new indicators

The scientific partners approved a final list of 146 indicators at the concluding meeting. The new strand on education policy was finalised and new indicators developed across all strands on how to better implement policies.

The education strand will evaluate whether national school systems are accessible to migrant pupils, how they are targeting their learning needs, and how they are responding to the new opportunities migrants bring to the classroom. Migrant education policies not only promote educational attainment, but also multilingualism, cultural diversity, social integration and interculturalism.

New indicators in the other strands will look at the integration and language requirements attached to the right to family reunion, long-term residence, and naturalisation. The MIPEX will investigate which courses and assessments discourage immigrant participation and which policies are implemented to enable all immigrants to succeed.

The “labour market mobility” strand has also been expanded with new indicators looking at whether migrants have access to support when looking for jobs or trying to improve their skills.

MPG is delighted to kick off the research phase and turn the project over to our national correspondents.

The experts

National experts in the 31 countries will act as correspondents and peer reviewers, scrutinising their national foreigners’ law, anti-discrimination law, and education law. These scholars and practitioners are well-respected specialists in these areas, independent from government, and many are members of EU networks of excellence and comparative research projects.

The MIPEX indicators will be completed by the national experts and anonymously double-checked by peer reviewers.

The results

The MIPEX III results will be made public in February 2011.

To learn more about the Migrant Integration Policy Index, click here.