The past decades have witnessed an unprecedented increase in human migration worldwide, driven by diverse political, economic, social and environmental factors. In Europe, both earlier patterns of migration and the more recent large influx of refugees have had profound and lasting impacts on societies. The Nordic region, like many other parts of Europe, has experienced significant opportunities and challenges related to integration and settlement. These include questions of access to labour markets, health services, housing and education, as well as broader socio-political and cultural dynamics.
Recognising the importance of generating robust knowledge in this field, the Nordic Council of Ministers and NordForsk began developing an initiative on research collaboration in migration and integration in 2015–2016. This process resulted in a report, which identified key knowledge gaps and recommended a collaborative research effort. The NordForsk Board responded by launching the Nordic Research Programme on Migration and Integration, in partnership with national funding bodies from Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom
By pooling resources, building critical mass, sharing data and infrastructures, and fostering new networks, the Joint Nordic-UK Research Initiative on Integration and Migration has sought to strengthen scientific excellence while supporting evidence-based policymaking. The call was launched in 2018, funding seven projects.
These projects reflect the breadth of issues at stake. They explore, for instance, how European migration management operates beyond its borders, how solidarity and notions of “deservingness” are negotiated in everyday welfare encounters, and how refugee young people experience relational wellbeing. Others investigate the role of home-making practices in integration, identify effective teaching strategies for migrant students, and analyse the impact of social frontiers on integration and mobility. A final project undertook a multidimensional comparative study of structural, cultural and social integration among youth.
Together, these projects demonstrate how collaborative research can generate new insights of direct relevance to policy and practice. This impact report highlights the achievements, outcomes and added value of the Joint Nordic-UK Research Initiative, and reflects on how cross-national collaboration has advanced the knowledge base needed to foster resilient and inclusive societies in the Nordic countries, the UK and beyond.
Arne Flåøyen
Director of NordForsk