The city of Gothenburg is gearing up to host a significant event aimed at enhancing the integration and housing of asylum seekers and refugees in European communities. The event, which will be held on June 8, 2023, is organized jointly by EU-funded projects INTEgreat and MERGING and will gather experts, academics, policymakers, and stakeholders to share research findings and discuss innovative strategies and solutions to facilitate integration.
The INTEgreat project aims to improve integration strategies of asylum seekers and refugees in Europe. Through research conducted in the five partner countries (Greece, Ireland, Italy, Spain, and Cyprus), the project analyzed national and local integration policies and practices. The implementation of the pilots in five cities (Athens, Limerick, Varese, Barcelona and Nicosia) will test the newly developed Integration Strategy Framework and Guidelines developed by the University of Bologna in four main areas: training, employment, healthcare, and social cohesion. INTEgreat is funded by the EU Asylum Migration Integration Fund (AMIF) and implemented by a consortium of seven partners from different European countries.
The MERGING project is an interdisciplinary study of migrant integration through participatory housing initiatives to test an innovative approach aiming to facilitate and ensure the sustainability of refugees’ integration process. MERGING has reviewed existing knowledge, integration policies and initiatives across macro (EU migration policies), meso (regional economic & social systems) and micro (individual practices) levels in which housing occupies a prominent place. This has enabled the project to study the feasibility of participatory pilots in order to implement, test and evaluate them in 3 European countries (Spain, France and Sweden). The project is funded by the European programme H2020 and gathers a Consortium of ten partners across European countries.
During the conference, both projects will present research findings. INTEgreat partners will introduce the Integration Strategy Framework (ISF), a set of measures and recommendations derived from the research. The ISF is currently being tested through pilot activities in each local context, with the aim of enhancing the integration process and providing innovative solutions. The conference marks an important milestone in the project's three-phase approach: research, pilot implementation, and analysis of results.
This Conference serves as a platform for knowledge sharing and discussion, bringing together experts, academics, policymakers, and stakeholders in the field of refugee integration and housing. The event aims to foster collaboration, cross-pollination and share good practices that can contribute to more effective and inclusive integration processes across Europe.
To learn more about the projects, please visit:
INTEgreat project: https://www.integreat-project.eu/
MERGING Project: https://www.merging-housing-project.eu/
