European Migration Network – Maltese National Contact Point
Cluster Meeting on ‘How to involve further in EMN work academics and students at the UM?’
26th June 2018
Ministry of Home Affairs and National Security
Venue: db San Antonio Hotel, Qawra, Malta
Participants from UM:
Dr. Felicity Attard (Resident Academic – Faculty of Laws); Prof. Anthony Aquilina (Professor at Dept. of Translation and Interpretation); Dr. Stavros Assimakopoulos (Senior Lecturer – Institute of Linguistics and Language Technology); Ms. Jamie Bonnici (Research Support Officer – Faculty for Social Wellbeing); Dr. Anna Borg (Director – Centre for Labour Studies); Dr. Isabelle Calleja Ragonesi (Senior Lecturer – Dept. of Int’l Relations, Faculty of Education); Ms. Victoria Dimech (Asst. Lecturer – Dept. of Interpreting Studies); Dr. Sarah Grech (Lecturer –English Language Linguistics); Dr. George Vital Zammit (Deputy Dean – Faculty of Economics, Management & Accountancy); Daniela Grech (Student B.Sc(Hons) in Communication Therapy)
Participants from national entities:
Insp. Frankie Sammut (Malta Police Force); Ms. Edmea Caruana (Executive Officer Justice Dept. – MJCL); Ms. Julie Marchal (Project Officer – Euromed Migration IV Programme – ICMPD); Ms. Flordeluz Micallef (Member – Confederation of Filipinos); Ms. Marilyn Muscat (Member – Confederation of Philippines); Ms. Christine Micallef (National Commission for the Promotion of Equality); Dr. Maja Miljanic Brinkworth (Research Consultant – Ministry of the Family, Children’s Rights and Social Solidarity); Ms. Marika Podda Connor (Transcultural Practice Nurse – Primary Health Care); Ms. Marie-Astrid Bridelance (Volunteer Integra Foundation)
Welcome by Ms. Diandra Buttigieg – MT NCP Coordinator, Malta Ministry for Home Affairs and National Security
MT NCP Coordinator Ms. Diandra Buttigieg delivered an opening speech welcoming all participants. She highlighted the importance of outreach to more stakeholders. She also stressed on the significance of the 10 year EMN Anniversary.
A tour de table with personal introductions by all participants followed.
Session 1 – Feedback on NCP studies and EMN-related work (Ms Margaret Barahmandpour, MT EMN National Contact Point)
The first presentation delivered by Ms Margaret Barahmandpour, which focused on: ‘How can academics and students at UM be further involved in EMN’, as regards the aim, structure, logistical side of the EMN, and through participating in EMN future events and contributing to the EMN Quarterly Journal.
Session 2 – Past/Present involvement of UM in EMN, (Prof. Anthony Aquilina, Translation, Terminology and Interpreting Studies, Faculty of Arts)
The second intervention was delivered by Prof. Anthony Aquilina, from the Translation and Interpreting Unit at the UM. The intervention was titled – “Maltese terminology equivalents in the context of migration.” He started his intervention by highlighting how migration has become a crucial topic, with a good number of challenges. Prof. Aquilina opined how Malta has been a reception country of migration for years and he discussed the present political situation in Europe, which he then linked to the language issue. He described how migration has become a hot topic with people taking sides favourable or against migration. He emphasised on the language barrier, which has become very prominent in Malta due to foreigners giving a service mostly in the tourism industry, who are unable to communicate in a manner, which is understandable. He described the aspect of language, as a means of communication that people can produce. He then continued with a very academic technical intervention, highlighting the aspect of terminology, structures of the language and term standardization. Finally, he discussed the importance of the EMN Glossary, and the role of UM in the publishing of certain migration terminology in the Maltese Language.
Discussion and Q&A
The MT NCP Coordinator posed a question to academics. She asked how the academics from the UM envisage themselves to be involved in the EMN work.
• Prof. Anthony Aquilina (Translation, Terminology and Interpreting Studies, Faculty of Arts) highlighted the possibility of using a special week with UM and other Universities where the MT NCP can liaise through dissemination to reach as much people as possible.
• Dr. George Vital Zammit (Faculty of Economics, Management & Accountancy) mentioned the fact that an Institute for Migration Studies within University of Malta, might be in the pipeline. As regards this EMN seminar, he stated that, this is a forum, which should be continued, with the aim of establishing a rapport between the government and academics, briefing each other on on-going research and data in the sphere of migration. He stated that he hopes that this is the beginning of something new, but also an activity, which should not stop at the end of this seminar.
• MT NCP Coordinator Ms. Diandra Buttigieg stressed on the importance of fostering a connection between Government and academics, and even more important, for students’ research not to get lost or just end up being shelved at the UM Library.
• Another lecturer highlighted it would be positive to work together to collect data and one of the major things that need to be addressed by policy makers is the attitude towards certain minority groups and the creation of counter-narratives.
• Dr. Calleja Ragonesi (Dept. of Int’l Relations – Dept. of Education) highlighted that, there is a Master’s Degree in Humanitarian Action being offered at the UM with many students working in the area, and with Malta, being so small, accessibility is very much facilitated. In this regard, EMN may help a lot, if internships by EMN are provided. Most students are encouraged to do internships so it could be advantageous to do this with EMN. This would allow more access to Government policies.
• Regarding internships, the MT NCP Coordinator Ms. Diandra Buttigieg, underlined that the idea of internships with MT NCP will be discussed further in the coming months. She stated that the MT NCP has already helped students in the past months in finding the material they needed. She stressed the availability of the MT NCP for research help.
• The representative from the Filipino community in Malta asked whether the MT NCP can disseminate information on the access to entitlements and rights for Filipino migrants in Malta. The MT NCP Coordinator commented that the MT NCP can reach out to the right government entities who can provide information sessions. The MT NCP Coordinator asked the Filipino representative to set a meeting with the MT NCP for a more detailed discussion.
Session 3 – Engaging with UM academics
– Presentation 1 – Ms Jamie Bonnici, Research Support Officer, Faculty for Social Well Being, University of Malta, Presentation on the Cluster on Migration
This presentation gave an overview of the participating faculties and departments within UM in the setting up of the Cluster on Migration. These faculties encompass the Faculty of Social Well-Being, Faculty of Laws, Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Economics, Linguistics and Language Technology, Faculty of European Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, Faculty of Youth and Community Studies and Faculty of Social Policy and Social Work.
She underlined that this substantial number of participants demonstrates a common interest in contributing to a more holistic understanding of migration. In addition, the encouragement and collaboration across different areas to create holistic observations and recommendations were highlighted. The long-term goal of the Cluster on Migration is a contribution to society, a society that is more equitable, sustainable and inclusive for migrants and their receiving countries.
This presentation ended with shared goals between the EMN MT NCP and the Cluster on Migration, which both aim to produce comparable and objective information about migration in the EU. An increased collaboration between both will lead to higher quality results for all involved.
– Presentation 2 – Dr Sara Grech, Centre for English Language Proficiency, Faculty of Arts, University of Malta, Presentation on ‘The use of linguistics in migration policy’
Dr Grech started the presentation by giving a personal overview of her academic life and her position in relation to migration, language and policy, their relevance and how can these can contribute to the EMN. She also described these fields of study through a logistical and technical aspect. She finalized this presentation through relevance and best practices in language contexts related to community, schooling and individual/society and state interaction. She concluded by highlighting the importance of academic participation, through support, dialogue and discussion.
– Presentation 3 – Ms Julie Marchal, Project Officer of EUROMED Migration IV, International Centre for Migration Policy Development Malta, Presentation on ‘exploring government-academia partnership in North Africa’
Ms Marchal started with an overview of the members, going on to the achievements of ICMPD Migration IV goals, through a three-level approach – Research, Capacity Building and Migration Dialogue. The approach to research by ICMPD was described and ICMPD’s Mediterranean Portfolio was discussed. A rationale of the Euromed Migration IV (EMM4) Programme was provided. It was explained how this programme is based on the engagement with students and academia and how it is divided in two, through dialogue cooperation and capacity building. ICMPD representative described how this ICMPD project sought to engage researchers to evaluate the general public’s view about issues like vulnerable minors.
Discussion and Q&A
• MT NCP Coordinator Ms. Diandra Buttigieg stated that academics should view how they can contribute to the EMN and how EMN can help them. She remarked that the EMN at national level has ample possibilities of outreach and research possibilities, which should allow for a two-way process. She continued saying that the MT NCP will endeavour to learn more about what academics and students are doing in the area of migration and asylum in order to enhance mutual collaboration in the future.
• Dr. George Vital Zammit (Faculty of Economics, Management & Accountancy) stated that there are many areas, which academics and EMN can work upon together. He continued underlining that it is good to learn that there are many well-versed stakeholders in the migration sphere of who we are not aware.
Session 4 – EMN 10-year anniversary (Annual Report on Migration 2017 and short video) (Ms Margaret Barahmandpour, MT EMN National Contact Point)
The last presentation highlighted the EMN 10th Anniversary and the 10-year EMN anniversary conference, which took place on the 15th May in Brussels to celebrate this important milestone, titled “Understanding Migration in the EU Past, Present Future.” This conference brought together almost 200 policy makers, researchers and practitioners from the EU institutions and national governments, academic institutions, international organisations and from civil society. Furthermore, an overview of the EU Commissioner of Migration and Home Affairs Dimitris Avramopoulos congratulatory address was highlighted, as he stressed that the EMN has been an incredibly invaluable instrument for policy makers to make evidence-based, objective and effective policies in Europe on asylum and migration. This presentation ended with the key conclusions reached during the above-mentioned 10th Anniversary Conference.
Closure of Seminar
The seminar ended with a short video, which was launched by the Belgian EMN NCP on the event of the 10-year EMN anniversary, depicting the importance of the role of the European Migration Network.
