While evidence-based approaches to asylum, integration and migration issues are increasing, synergies among different groups of experts remains underdeveloped. Researchers and stakeholders are well-connected within their own communities but, despite an interest in wider collaboration, often lack structured opportunities to coordinate with one another. Policymakers, civil society representatives and researchers need suitable ways of working together in the face of a rapidly changing environment.
The Research Social Platform on Migration and Asylum (ReSOMA), funded under H2020 by the European Commission, provides new opportunities for cooperation between all these groups as a forum for a sustained, regular and policy-relevant dialogue.
ReSOMA is about interaction and relevance. Since 2018 ReSOMA has been identifying the most pressing topics and needs relating to the migration, asylum and integration debates. It gathers evidence on these topics by involving researchers, policy-makers and practitioners through different kinds of consultations and networking opportunities.
The project not only provides migration stakeholders and researchers with opportunities to challenge each other through structured dialogue, but also to work together on specific topics and come up with solutions to real-life, urgent problems.