Migration and Integration

Bilfinger SE / Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0 / Stefan Stahlberg

Migration and Integration

Politics starts with looking at reality.

Erwin Teufel, Politician and Former Minister-President of Baden-Württemberg

Migration and Flight Are Increasing Worldwide

Over the last few years, more people have left their home country than ever before for a variety of reasons: Some flee from violent conflicts and persecution, while others leave their home country owing to political uncertainties, social conditions, corruption, inadequate handling of environmental disasters or economic plight. Some people see a change of residence for study or work as part of their career planning.

The migration process can therefore be very different, for example entry into a destination country may be legal or irregular, direct or via several transit countries, and the stay could be permanent, circular or only temporary.

Here, special emphasis is placed on understanding and mitigating the causes of flight, the safety of refugees in flight, but also an understanding for the reasons of irregular or regular migration beyond flight. Some factors can be addressed through targeted development cooperation.

The management of migration at national and multilateral levels as well as reforming the European asylum system are also pressing issues for politics and society, especially against the background of rising numbers of migrants and refugees and the associated challenges.

These questions arise worldwide and also for Germany.

Integration As a Major Task for the Future

Therefore, the integration of immigrants who live permanently and legally in Germany is an important domestic policy task for the future. Scarcely any topic has aroused so much public interest in recent years, particularly in the context and aftermath of high numbers of immigration between 2015 and 2016.

According to the Federal Statistics Office, 26 per cent of the population has a migrant background. Slightly more than half of them have German citizenship. The figures are even more pronounced for children under five years of age: here, 40 per cent of children in the country have a migrant background. Germany has thus increasingly developed into a country of immigration.

How, however, do the repercussions of migration shape our society and how do we want to organise our society? How can we implement equal participation in society and the labour market for all – in line with their respective qualifications and talents – and at the same time enable everyone to actively participate in the community of solidarity? How can we strike the right balance between challenging and promoting? What opportunities and risks does immigration harbour for Germany, and what do they mean for integration policy?

European and International Comparison as a Starting Point for Our Work

The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung is tackling these and other questions together with representatives from science, politics and associations, in order to develop potential solutions. In the area of migration and integration, we value international and especially European comparison and exchange, too.

Event Series

Flight, migration and integration are the dominant issues of our time. That is why, time and again, the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung offers various event formats on this topic.

“Magnet Europe” Simulation Game

European Union, 2015

The “Magnet Europe” simulation game is an offer aimed at young people to engage in debate on the future of European migration policy as part of a simulation game. The game itself primarily deals with necessary acute measures in crisis situations, however, ongoing conflicts in many regions of the world testify to the fact that a lot of refugees will not return to their home countries. Therefore, a decision about whether refugees should stay and their integration in our society is of major importance, so consideration of this aspect is afforded great importance in the game.

Learn more about the “Magnet Europe” simulation game

Podcast

The “KAS fragt nach” (KAS asks) podcast aims to contribute to the report by the Federal Government’s Commission on the Causes of Flight, published on 18 May 2021.

KAS fragt nach

Pixabay

“KAS fragt nach” is primarily dedicated to questions about the causes of flight and how to combat them. In each episode, we talk with a range of guests not only about the situation in different states, but also about personal and professional experiences of our interviewees.

Learn more about the “KAS fragt nach” podcast

Scholarship Offers

For people from migrant backgrounds, the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung offers specific opportunities for orientation and support with personal and professional development with the ‘High-Flyers’ and ‘scholarships for refugees’.

Study Mentoring Programme High-Flyers

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You too can become a high-flyer!

Youtube, Onlinekas

The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung’s study mentoring programme High-Flyers, offers young dedicated and talented people from families without academic experience or with a migration background support on their way to university.

Scholarship holders and young former scholarship holders help with important and essential questions on everything related to universities of applied sciences and universities, and provide guidance during the transition from school to university.

Be it opportunities for student financing, choosing a subject or general information about a degree – our scholarship holders and former scholarship holders know exactly what it takes and are at hand as personal contacts in the framework of corresponding study mentoring, thus enabling insights into everyday student life.

Learn more about services offered by High-Flyers

Scholarships for Refugees

Flickr / Tom Woodward / by-nc 2.0

As a refugee in Germany, you are entitled to study apply for a scholarship under special legal conditions. We look forward to supporting you in your professional and personal development, and gladly welcome talented new scholarship holders who actively enrich and help shape the progress of our society.

Learn more about the scholarships for refugees (English only)

Special Initiative

The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung is cooperating with political decision-makers and civil society actors in the main destination states for Venezuelan refugees as part of the BMZ (Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development) funded special initiative “Fighting the Causes of Flight, Reintegrating Refugees in Latin America.”

Fighting the Causes of Flight, Reintegrating Refugees

kas

With the BMZ-funded special initiative, the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung is attempting to contribute towards successfully managing the refugee crisis in Venezuela. In this context, our country offices in Columbia, Peru, and Child promote joint exchange with a broad network of partners and engage in dialogue with local responsible players from politics, business and management as well as representatives of the refugee community on effective measures for successful integration.

Learn more about the special initiative