The Joint Nordic–UK Research Initiative on Migration and Integration (2019–2024) brought together researchers from the Nordic countries and the United Kingdom to build a stronger knowledge base for migration and integration policy. The seven projects generated new empirical and comparative insights into how migration is governed, experienced, and negotiated across regions and institutions.
Research on EU migration management (EFFEXT) showed that linking development aid to migration control creates dependency and undermines local ownership, as African and Middle Eastern partners adapt or resist EU priorities to protect their own interests. The study of social frontiers (Life at the Frontier) found that sharp ethnic and social divides between neighbourhoods increase prejudice, lower property values, and harm mental health, while gradual mixing supports stability and wellbeing. MaHoMe revealed that migrants build “multi-sited homes” across borders, using creative and cultural practices to sustain belonging when policy-making on immigration and integration fails to capture their lived realities.
Solidarities demonstrated that ideas of who deserves welfare are constantly contested in local encounters between migrants, citizens, and frontline workers, often softening the effects of restrictive national policies. DrawingTogether showed that art-based methods help young refugees express experiences of loss and resilience, and that trusted relationships and participation in community life are key to wellbeing. IntegrateYouth found that second generation youth in the Nordics have high educational ambitions and success rates, especially women, but face persistent barriers in employment and slower cultural integration. TEAMS identified that schools fostering collaboration among teachers, families, and support staff are more effective in meeting migrant students’ needs than those relying on individual initiative.
Taken together, the projects reveal that integration succeeds when local actors, institutions, and migrants themselves have agency and when policies recognise the complexity of people’s lives rather than imposing one-size-fits-all models.
Overall, the dissemination efforts of the projects demonstrate a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration, practitioner engagement, and policy relevance, contributing to both scientific excellence and societal impact across the Nordic and British contexts.