IMISCOE (International Migration Research Network) is the largest interdisciplinary network of scholars in the field of migration. The research network currently consists of 69 research institutes from different countries around the world and from various disciplines including sociology, political science, anthropology, economics, law, demography, public administration, geography and history.
In 2014, the Network’s coordination was transferred from the Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies of Amsterdam University (with Rinus Penninx as coordinator) to Erasmus University Rotterdam (with Maurice Crul and Peter Scholten as coordinators). Erasmus University Rotterdam continued to coordinate IMISCOE also during the period 2018-2022 (with Peter Scholten as coordinator).
Since 1st of April 2022, the coordination of IMISCOE moved to the University of Liege (with Jean-Michel Lafleur and Daniela Vintila as coordinators). It is involved in a wide array of activities, including:
Research
IMISCOE provides a platform for scholars throughout the world to get together, initiate comparative research and organize joint research projects. The network supports and maintains a broad range of Standing Committees that cover significant topics in migration studies, in line with the special expertise of its members. The development of common lines of study is primarily research-driven. IMISCOE derives its relevance for society in general and for policy and politics in particular from its theory-based, analytical contributions.
Publications
IMISCOE has established a book series with Springer, covering key contributions in the field of migration. To promote the dissemination of research and the widest possible access to research, IMISCOE has become the leading supporter of Open Access publishing in this research area. Most books are available in the OAPEN library. IMISCOE also sponsors the Open Access journal Comparative Migration Studies.
Events
Throughout the year, numerous IMISCOE events are organised in the context of research initiatives, publication events, PhD training, etc. The most important event on the network’s agenda is the IMISCOE Annual Conference, which has been organised every year since 2004 by different IMISCOE Member Institutes. In 2022, the 19th Annual Conference will took place in a hybrid format in Oslo (Norway) and online. In 2023, the 20th Annual Conference will be held in Warsaw, Poland. Another important annual event is the IMISCOE Spring Conference.
Training and Awards
Training of young researchers is an essential task of IMISCOE. By pooling the resources and expertise of its partners and members, the network facilitates the highest quality training for all its members. It also makes long-term investments in the broader field by opening its training facilities to non-members. To this aim, the Network provides annual PhD winter/summer schools, as well as specific training modules at other IMISCOE events. It also supports the IMISCOE PhD Network and the IMISCOE PhD Academy. Also, every year IMISCOE awards the Maria Ioannis Baganha Award to the best PhD thesis in the field of migration, and the Rinus Penninx Award for best paper presented at the IMISCOE Annual Conference.
Communication
IMISCOE maintains publications and communications channels to ensure that the results of its research are available to the public at large as well as to policymakers and other stakeholders. Its ambition is to make a difference in public perceptions and policymaking by contributing with sound, knowledge-based information.
IMISCOE is unique in that most of its funding comes from the member institutes and the individual members themselves. This is a clear token of the relevance of the network for the activities of its institutional and individual members. For the period 2022-2026, IMISCOE receives support from the University of Liege in Belgium (Coordinating Institute of IMISCOE).