In December, our consortium met in person for the first time in Dresden, after previous meetings had taken place online as part of the project initiation process. This personal exchange provided an opportunity to get to know all members better and lay the foundations for our joint empirical research.
The first day focused on the country reports. The school systems of the participating countries and educational policy measures for the inclusion of refugee students were presented. We discussed in particular depth the selectivity and permeability of school systems and their influence on the educational biographies of refugee children.
In addition, the statistical recording of immigration and the terminology used were compared across countries. The German category "with a migration background" was also critically discussed, which can be perceived as both stigmatizing and has little relevance to everyday life.
One focus was on Ukraine: Our colleague Kateryna Buchko (Ukrainian Catholic University Lviv) reported on the challenges of running schools under wartime conditions – from daily bomb scares to the need to continue classes in basements. Topics such as schools in occupied territories, the education of internally displaced persons, online instruction, and the design of post-war education were also addressed.
The second day was entirely dedicated to the methodological preparation of the planned interview series. Under the guidance of our Polish partners – Paweł Rudnicki (University of Lower Silesia) and Agnieszka Bielewska (University of Wrocław) – technical and methodological details were clarified and the interview guide was refined. The team also had the opportunity to test the technology and interview procedures in practical exercises.
The two intensive days of work culminated in an atmospheric city tour through Dresden, illuminated for Christmas. Our special thanks go to the student assistants of the professorship for their organizational support and valuable content contributions.
We look forward to our continued collaboration! 🌟
Interim Report of the Act4Mig Team at ECER 2025 in Belgrade
This year’s conference at the University of Belgrade offered the Act4Mig project team (coordinated by TU Dresden, University of Wrocław, Masaryk University, and the Ukrainian Catholic University) the opportunity to engage in a research workshop with colleagues, compare national perspectives, and present the first draft of the planned digital course.
Act4Mig-Meeeting in Wroclaw: exchange about first findings