Description

The European Union has approximately 58 million immigrants, representing nearly 10% of its population (AMO, 2024; EMN, 2024). In several key areas, these populations generally find themselves in a less favorable socioeconomic situation than people born in the host country. Although these disparities tend to narrow with length of stay and inclusion processes, they still affect first-generation migrants and a significant proportion of their descendants (OECD, 2024).

At the same time, the rise of the far right in several European countries and the increased spread of anti-migrant rhetoric are contributing to the complexity of their situation in society. Numerous European statistical studies and reports show that young people from immigrant backgrounds continue to face inequalities and difficulties in inclusion that limit their access to certain social resources, despite the existence, for several decades, of legislative frameworks and public policies aimed at reducing these inequalities (EU-MIDIS, 2017; FRA, 2024; ENAR, 2026).

This webinar aims to examine the tensions that currently exist in human mobility, particularly in terms of knowledge, at the intersection of migration policies and reception and inclusion mechanisms. Student mobility is relevant to analyze in this regard. Recent legislative restrictions targeting non-EU students illustrate the ambiguities of government policies, which oscillate between a desire to attract international students and a tightening of residence conditions. The challenge is therefore to understand how existing standards, institutional practices, and mechanisms can sometimes unintentionally produce unequal effects in key sectors such as higher education.

By combining legal, sociological, and historical approaches with institutional and associative perspectives, this webinar aims to highlight the contradictions in reception policies in several European countries. Persistent inequalities call into question the effectiveness of mechanisms designed to guarantee equality and inclusion. This webinar therefore aims to examine the real capacity of these policies to respond to the contemporary challenges of student mobility and migration in Europe.

We strongly encourage cross-sectoral collaboration by inviting members of civil society and decision makers.

Format

Presentations: 1h30 maximum

Anyone who is interested in presenting something (even if it is very informal) is invited to email Hachem Benissa (hachem.benissa@u-bordeaux.fr). We particularly encourage members of the civil society to contribute, feel free to ask around (including your interviewees, for instance).

• Discussion in breakout rooms: 15min (depending on number of presenters)
• Plenary discussion: 15 min