Current and future fundamental changes in global migration patterns raise new intellectual and practical challenges that will have profound consequences for receiving and sending countries.

However, policy makers and researchers are ill-prepared for future global migration trends primarily because of a limited insight into the factors driving migration processes and a lack of imagination about how future global transformation processes are likely to alter the global migration map. For this reason, IMI is involved in developing future migration scenarios.

Ongoing activities

The Determinants of International Migration (DEMIG) (2010–2014)

This project addresses the question: how do the migration policies of receiving and sending countries affect the size, direction and nature of international migration when controlling for the effects of other migration determinants in receiving and sending countries? Read more about the DEMIG project...

Global Migration Futures (GMF) (2009–2013)

This project aims to assess future global migration trends and their effects on European receiving countries and sending countries mainly located in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. It will elaborate scenarios, taking account of likely future social, cultural, economic, political, demographic and environmental changes in sending, transit and receiving countries. Read more about the Global Migration Futures project...

Theorizing the Evolution of European Migration Systems (THEMIS) (2010–2013)

This project looks at the way in which patterns of migration develop. It  focuses on the conditions and processes that encourage initial moves to become established migration systems and lead to their breakdown. THEMIS theoretical contribution is to bridge the theories on initiation and continuation of migration, and  to integrate the concept of `agency’ in the systems theory approach to migration. Read more about the THEMIS project...

Past events

• The Global Migration Futures team, panel presentation, 'Where to next? Exploring Migration Futures in the Pacific', New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Wellington, 31 October 2012.
• The Global Migration Futures team, stakeholders workshop, Development of Migration Scenarios for the Pacific, in partnership with the University of Waikato, Auckland, 24-27 October 2012.
• The Global Migration Futures team, plenary presentation, 'Where to next? Exploring Migration Futures in the Pacific', Pathways to Metropolis conference, Massey University, Auckland, 24 October 2012.

• Expert workshop on Environmental Change and Global Migration Futures, 21-22 June 2012, Oxford. This workshop aims to develop an integrated approach to better understand the complex relationship between environmental change and migration processes.
• Global Migration Futures Stakeholders Workshop in Nairobi, hosted by the Regional Mixed Migration Secretariat, 25-26 April 2012 (read the briefing)
• The Global Migration Futures team organized a panel for the Metropolis conference in the Azores entitled: 'Global Migration Futures: findings and strategic responses', 14 September 2011
• The Global Migration Futures team organized a panel for the Metropolis conference in the Azores entitled: 'Technological Change and Global Migration Futures', 13 September 2011
• Global Migration Futures Expert Workshop on Future Migration Determinants, hosted by the Metropolis conference in the Azores as a 'pre-conference' day, 11 September 2011 (read a brief pdf summary)
• Panel Event: Using Scenarios in Academic Research to Study the Future, Oxford Department of International Development, 26 May 2011 (read the programme)
• Global Migration Futures Stakeholders Workshop in Cairo, hosted by the Center for Migration and Refugee Studies at The American University in Cairo, 13-14 May 2011 (read a brief pdf summary)
• Global Migration Futures Stakeholders Workshop in The Hague, hosted by The Hague Process on Migration and Refugees, June 2010 (read a brief pdf summary)