Asset Publisher

Event Reports

Policy Conference “New Migrations and the Challenges of Integration in Europe, Australia and New Zealand”

by Katharina Naumann

Event contribution

Europe and Australasia are traditional receiving regions of migration and refugees. Countries in both continents have developed diverse and innovative policy measures to meet the challenges arising from this and integrate arriving people into their respective societies. The speed of movement and the acceleration characterize new migrations and force national governments to act swiftly. Thus, an exchange between the two regions to learn from each other’s experiences can bring about new approaches to this phenomenon.

Asset Publisher

The Regional Programme Political Dialogue with Asia and the Pacific and the Centre for European Studies at the Australian National University gathered researchers, government officials and representatives from the civil society on April 7 and 8 in Canberra to address new migrations, multi-level approaches to refugee integration, challenges for integration and social cohesion as well as long-term strategies for migrant integration.

Opening the two-day symposium, EU Ambassdor Sem Fabrizzi presented the European Agenda for Migration 2015. Carla Wilshire, CEO of the Migration Council Australia, gave an in-depth overview of global migration and its impacts on Australia. The following presentations analyzed recent developments regarding refugees and temporary migrants in the two regions from a historical and global perspective and explained the differing reactions towards increasing migration. Special attention was given to immediate, multi-level actions to foster integration in Europe, Australia and New Zealand and to the problems that occur when implementing them. Finally success factors and long-term strategies for effective integration were discussed.

Education, the organization of the labor market, support in learning the hosts’ language, housing, child care, health services, settlement services, electoral participation and awarding citizenship were identified as key parts that help to meet the challenges arising in the integration processes.

Asset Publisher

comment-portlet

Asset Publisher