Research

European Integration Research – Exchange of Experience

Sponsor: 
Európai Integrációs Alap
Project period: 
1 Jan 2014 to 30 Sep 2014

On the launch of the European Union's new funding scheme for 2014-2020, it is time to review migration related research produced in Hungary in the past five years and to identify key research areas for the next period. Our project not only intends to give guidance on the most important issues to investigate, but wants also to help in defining research methods for specific research topics.

The project aims to target Hungarian researchers and experts dealing with integration research to exchange experience with leading European experts on gathering empirical data about third-country nationals needs, and to start a debate about their application in Hungary, including the development of appropriate policy response to third-country nationals needs.

Integration policies: Who benefits? The development and use of indicators in integration debates

ICCR-Budapest Foundation is a partner of the project “Integration policies: Who benefits? The development and use of indicators in integration debates” (MIPEX 2015) led by the Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (CIDOB), and the Migration Policy Group (MPG). The project aims to inform and engage key policy actors about how to use indicators to improve integration governance and policy effectiveness. The main objectives of the project are:

“European Integration Modules – Exchange of Experience”

Sponsor: 
European Integration Fund
Project period: 
1 Nov 2012 to 31 Aug 2013

About the project

The idea of developing European modules on migrant integration dates several years back to the Justice and Home Affairs Council of 12-13 June 2007, in which the National Contact Points on Integration supported by the Commission were invited to “examine the added value of developing common European modules for migrant integration as a full project in the light of experience at national levels”. The importance of developing European modules on migrant integration was also reaffirmed in the Council conclusions of June 2010 with an emphasis on three areas in which modules should be developed:

Immigrants in Hungary

Project period: 
1 Jan 2009 to 31 Dec 2009

In 2009 the Research Institute of Ethnic and National Minorities of the Hungarian Academy of Science in cooperation with the Interdisciplinary Centre for Comparative Research in the Social Sciences (ICCR) completed the research project entitled “Immigrants in Hungary”. The project was realised with the support of the European Fund for the Integration.

The aim of the project was to conduct a complex sociological research related to the number, composition, territorial distribution and socio-demographic characteristics of migrants living in Hungary, factors determining their integration and their role in the economic, political and cultural spheres. In the research project the term migrant meant any non-refugee foreigner residing in the territory of Hungary with a residence permit for a period of longer than three months, who has a nationality of a non-EU member state.

„The changing landscape of Justice & Home affairs Cooperation in the EU and EU-Canada relations”

In 2008, ICCR, together with five international partners participated in a project funded by the European Commission External Relations Directorate General entitled „The changing landscape of Justice & Home affairs Cooperation in the EU and EU-Canada relations.” The project aimed to assess the relations between the European Union and Canada in the area of Justice and Home Affairs. It aimed at facilitating a better understanding of the concepts, nature, implications and future prospects related to the Europeanization of Justice and Home Affairs in the EU, as well as its role and dilemmas in the context of EU-Canada relations. The project explored the main transformations affecting the building of transnational policies and cooperation in relation to “Freedom, Security and Justice.” It sought to promote the understanding and to facilitate the development of a policy framework for cooperation implementing comprehensive responses meeting future needs.

National report on the demand side of trafficking and forced prostitution in Hungary

In 2006 ICCR conducted research commissioned by IOM studying the demand side of trafficking and forced prostitution with both quantitative and qualitative methods. Studying the demand side of prostitution and trafficking means a paradigm shift moving the focus of attention from victims of trafficking to the users of sexual services.

The first part of the research focused on presenting and comparing the domestic and international regulation of prostitution and trafficking in persons. The study examined the practical pros and cons of the three main approaches to the regulation of prostitution (abolition, prohibition, regulation) based on case studies on countries that implement those practices.

Integrating Migrants into the European Union: Perspectives from Selected Member States (Needs Assesment)

In 2005 ICCR, with the support of an INTI project, assessed the needs and requests of migrants living in Hungary based on interviews with migrants and key organisations working in the field. Beyond the needs assessment, the qualitative research enabled us to have a comprehensive overview on the work of the organisations working in the field of migration issues. On the one hand we contacted the significant NGOs working in the field of migration and refugee issues and on the other hand we targeted community organisations recruiting their members amongst migrants. Furthermore, certain public institutions were interviewed to gain a full picture on the situation of migrants living in Hungary.

According to the research design, set by IOM Prague, the three target groups of the research were defined as follows:

Research into the Social Integration of Refugees

The aim of the research conducted in 2005 was to provide a more subtle picture of the social integration of refugees living in Hungary than the one in pre-existent research findings. The research was funded by the European Refugee Fund.

The research is made up of three main parts: The first part analysed the social-demographic conditions of refugees in Hungary using quantitative means and based on questionnaires; the second part provided a deeper insight into the labour market integration of refugees living in Hungary based on qualitative interviews; and the third part outlines some policy recommendations to help the social integration of refugees living in Hungary.

IOM Infocampaign

In 2004 the International Organization for Migration organised a campaign on changes in labour conditions in the EU in general and in the UK due to Hungary’s accession to the EU. IOM commissioned ICCR to conduct research on the knowledge and opinion of the target population about migrant-worker specific issues in the EU and in the UK before the campaign in order to measure the effectiveness of the campaign.