MPG would like to thank its retiring director, Jan Niessen, for all of his work founding and leading the organisation since 1995. Through MPG, Jan has fought ceaselessly for equality and mobility across borders to create a level playing field for immigrants that will enable them to build a life that matches their skills and aspirations.
His professional activities included designing and conducting international comparative research projects, undertaking feasibility studies and establishing and managing international expertise networks. He advised public and private sector organisations at local, national and international levels on matters related to international migration, immigrant integration, anti-discrimination and diversity. He was at the origin and is a member of the Editorial Board of the European Journal of Migration and Law, co-founding member of European Anti-discrimination Law Review and co-editor of the book series on immigration and asylum law and policy in Europe. He has written reports, handbooks and manuals for the European Commission, European Parliament, Council of Europe and OSCE. Through MPG, he created and co-authored the EU Handbooks on Integration and previous editions of the Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX), the EU Website on Integration and the EU Immigration Portal. This work is continued by MPG’s Migration and Integration Programme.