Migration Communication Strategies: Effective Approaches to Depolarise the Debate - 2022

Programme Description

Migration is a controversial topic. It is increasingly difficult to discuss it without being accused of spreading fake news or provoking heated debates. As a result, there is growing uncertainty about what type of communication strategies on migration are most effective in changing attitudes.

This Executive Training will develop and strengthen the participants’ communication skills around migration. The training will combine academic research with the experience of professionals working in the field both in the public and the private sector. During eight interactive sessions, participants will work together to identify and understand some of the key challenges and good practices of migration communication. The first part of the training will be dedicated to apprehending the factors that shape how people perceive and react to migration and what effects those have on society. The second part of the training will apply these factors to migration communication campaigns, explaining what strategies are most effective to engage the audience and depolarise the debate.

Via this training, participants will have the opportunity learn more about migration communication through a set of activities designed by academic researchers, policymakers, and advisors working for governments and civil society organisations. Furthermore, the attendees will debate recent research on the topic and apply recent findings to real-life migration campaigns.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this programme, the participants will learn:

• How to effectively communicate with concerned citizens about the causes and effects of migration and about immigration / integration policies
• How to construct communication strategies that foster social cohesion in an effort to tackle discrimination, disinformation, and hate speech
• How to understand and incorporate insights about attitudes to migration and about the impact of underlying factors influencing how people think and feel about migration
• How to identify the positive role of facts and evidence in the migration debate, as well as their shortcomings
  
  

Learning Methods

• Knowledge transfer sessions led by accomplished practitioners and academics with deep experience on key issues impacting the migration debate both globally and locally
• Active exchange and interactive sessions that are focused on the interpretation of opinion data, and that address the main challenges posed by the current migration debate
• Case studies analysis based on real-life migration campaigns and communication strategies
  
  

Who Should Attend

• Communication officers from NGOs, government institutions, EU institutions and agencies, international organisations, etc.
• Political consultants and advisors working at different levels of government
• Representatives of public authorities with an interest migration/diversity/integration/social cohesion
• Professionals working in international organisations and NGOs in the field of migration/diversity/integration/social cohesion
• Politicians who are interested in depolarisation and fostering social cohesion