SNSPA hosts workshop on the challenges and opportunities of migrant integration
25-02-2022
The workshop, which focused on the complexities of managing asylum seekers in Romania, offers best practices for CIVICA.
At SNSPA, the topic of migration and its implications on citizens’ lives, the development of human rights policies, political decisions, and socio-economic conditions have been on the university’s research agenda for a long time.
The most recent research project, coordinated by the Faculty of Public Administration, investigated “Diversity, Citizenship and Solidarity under Migration Pressure. From Learning to e-Learning” and was chaired by Mădălina Cocoșatu, Associate Professor in the SNSPA Law Department.
In connection to the project, a workshop was held on 26 November 2021, focused on understanding the complexity of the management of asylum seekers in Romania.
The workshop aligns with the activities for minorities under CIVICA’s Work Package 7 (WP7), dedicated to civic engagement. The papers presented at the workshop and the discussions between the participants show great potential for developing into best practices in the CIVICA alliance.
Participants and “hot buttons”
Like most of SNSPA’s events, the workshop was open to all interested parties. The online format made it even more accessible. Among those attending were students, early-stage researchers, and representatives from prominent Romanian public institutions dealing with migration and asylum seekers, such as the General Inspectorate for Immigration.
Six invited panellists representing the academia and the government spoke of their most recent research and professional experiences dealing with migrants and asylum seekers.
Professor Irina Zlătescu, Member of the Steering Committee of the Institut International de Droit d’Expression et d’Inspiration Françaises (IDEF), Council Member at the European Law Institute (ELI) and President of the Association for the United Nations in Romania (ANUROM-WFUNA, approached the challenges of implementing the EU’s “New Pact on Migration and Asylum.”
Elena Marinică, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Public Administration, presented her research on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the educational policies targeted at migrants (asylum seekers included).
Alexandra Bucur-Ioan, an early-stage researcher at SNSPA, discussed the challenges of family reunification and integration within the pandemic context.
Ciprian-Constantin Mihai, PhD candidate in administrative sciences at SNSPA, with considerable experience in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, analysed the principle of solidarity and the intricacies of putting it into practice when considering the case of refugees.
Eleodor Pârvu, Director of the Asylum and Integration Directorate at the General Inspectorate for Immigration Romania, addressed the national legal provisions for asylum and their harmonisation with EU regulations in the detention of asylum seekers.
Finally, Mădălina Cocoșatu, Chair of the Law Department at the Faculty of Public Administration, concluded the workshop, focusing on the lessons learnt in integrating refugees and future solutions to address the existent needs for better management and care of asylum seekers.
What is next?
Following the workshop, many scientific articles are on the road to publishing, so stay tuned for updates. Also, a new workshop on the topic will follow. Furthermore, SNSPA expects that the new competition dedicated to Jean Monnet projects – which supports teaching and research in EU studies worldwide – will include, once more, SNSPA representatives among the winners. So, it will be a busy spring!
Written by SNSPA's editorial team