MiReKoc International Summer School 2022

Rights-Based Perspectives in International Migration

25 July-5 August 2022, Rumelifeneri Campus, Koç University, İstanbul

The 11th MiReKoc International Summer School will be held between 25 July and 5 August 2022 at Koç University Rumelifeneri Campus in Sarıyer, Istanbul on ‘Rights-Based Perspectives in International Migration.’

The program of 11th MiReKoc Summer School reflects the importance of rights-based perspectives in international migration. The program is a 2-week intensive course and participants attend lectures, discussions, and seminars taught by leading academics and professionals in the field of migration.

People migrate for different reasons, such as reuniting with their families; seeking better economic opportunities; and escaping human rights abuses, including armed conflict, persecution, and torture. Like other particularly vulnerable groups, migrants are entitled to the same human rights protections as all individuals; but also, they have been given special protections under international law, to address situations where their rights are most at risk, However, depending on which treaties a State has ratified, states may limit migrants’ rights in some ways. Even legal protections prohibit discrimination on the basis of national origin, protect the right to a nationality, or address the special protections owed to migrants, violations against migrants continue to include a denial of civil and political rights such as arbitrary detention, torture, or a lack of due process, as well as economic, social and cultural rights such as the rights to health, housing or education.

According to World Migration Report 2022 produced by IOM, even COVID-19 has radically altered mobility around the world, the scale of international migration increased. The number of international migrants was estimated to be almost 281 million globally in 2020 (3.6 per cent of the world’s population), with nearly two thirds being labour migrants, and 89.4 million people were living in displacement globally at the end of 2020 (includes refugees, asylum seekers, displaced Venezuelans and IDPs).

Reminding the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in which states pledge to “Facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies”, this crosscutting theme combined with the challenge against migrants’ access to human rights, the 11th MiReKoc Summer School will focus on rights-based perspectives in international migration through various sessions and lectures that bring together international scholars and PhD students working on migration issues. This year’s Summer School includes lectures and sessions exploring different themes focusing on both law and rights including international and national legislation connected to migration, legal and policy connection, development and integration, right to health, internally displaced persons, international migration, trafficking and asylum laws in migration research to offer a space for scholars and participants to reflect on legal and rights-based challenges.

MiReKoc Summer School serves as a platform bringing future scholars into dialogue with senior scholars and practitioners from the region and beyond. Past schools have attracted participants from different countries and academic institutions, with participants coming from North and South America, Europe, Africa and Asia. Through its various networks, collaborations and projects, MiReKoc has been able to attract esteemed scholars, researchers, policy makers, and practitioners as lecturers in the Summer School.

The Summer School is designed for PhD and graduate students as well as junior experts in the field. The programme includes two weeks of lectures, lab sessions and discussion sessions which will be led by distinguished international faculty members and experts in the field. The participants will have the chance of sharing their research agendas and ideas with these scholars in an interactive environment. The language of the Summer School is English. The fee for face-to-face participation to the program is 1500 Euros covering lectures, course materials, food and accommodation. The hybrid model offers other alternatives including online participation and for face-to-face participants, an option without accommodation. The fees for each preference changes accordingly and detailed below. Two full scholarships are available on a merit basis for outstanding candidates. Some partial scholarships of up to 30% are available for other candidates based on merit and an explanation of their financial constraints. Tuition fee for the students affiliated with institutions from the IMISCOE network and UNIC universities will be reduced by 30%. A certificate will be provided upon successful completion of the programme. Additional requirements will be required of those participants who seek course credit.

Lecture Topics Include

  • Human Rights of Migrants: An Overview
  • International Migration, Trafficking and Asylum Laws
  • EU Migration and Asylum Law
  • New Migration and Asylum Pact presented by the European Commission
  • Irregular Migration
  • Right to Health for Migrants and Refugees
  • Right to Education for Migrants and Refugees
  • Integration
  • Migrant Workers and Non-documented Migrant Workers

MiReKoc Academic Workshops at the Summer School

MiReKoc Academic Workshops at the Summer School provide a platform for participants working towards their doctorate or conducting on-going research to interact with, and learn from, fellow students and top scholars. MiReKoc encourages the participants of the Summer School to become active members of this vibrant and diverse platform. These workshops are designed as a springboard for successful academic careers by examining important issues such as publishing, reviewing, and collaborative research; the event also provides several networking opportunities.

Attendance to the MiReKoc Summer School Academic Workshops are optional. They will be integrated to the Summer School programme, incorporating presentations by the researchers and discussion sessions with renowned academics. The Academic Workshops will enable participants to approach their doctoral dissertations or on-going research with renewed vigour by engaging in discussions on research design and methodologies with colleagues, and by reviewing their dissertation proposals with the help of others, including fellow participants and more senior researchers who work in the respective area of scholarly inquiry. 

When?

25 July-5 August 2022

 

Where?

Hybrid Model

Online and Face-to-face Possibility to Join

Koç University, Rumelifeneri Campus, Istanbul

 

Who can apply?

This program is designed for graduate students and PhD candidates, early career researchers, policy analysts, NGO and international organization practitioners, as well as junior experts in the field. MiReKoc International Summer School does not only offer expanding the knowledge of its participants, but also promises networking opportunities between them and distinguished faculty to enhance both parties’ research agendas. Applications from all over the world are encouraged. The language of the Summer School is English.

How to apply?

Please click here for the application form and send the following documents as a single pdf file to miss@ku.edu.tr and mirekoc@ku.edu.tr:

  • A current résumé
  • Proof of English: Following are accepted
    • TOEFL and/or IELTS scores
    • BA, MA or PhD Diploma from an institution whose language of education is in English
    • An official letter signed by a relevant authority stating that the language of education is English
    • Publication or thesis in English language
  • One reference letter from employer or professor: The letter can be submitted by the applicant or separately e-mailed by the referees
  • Written work sample: Published or unpublished article, book chapter, thesis chapter and/or report preferably on a related migration topic, if applicable
  • A statement of purpose/motivation letter:
    • A paragraph on how you will benefit from this summer school. Please clearly indicate your specific developmental needs (e.g., publishing, reviewing, collaborative research, career issues, getting your first job, methods, etc.).
    • If you will be applying for a full or a partial scholarship up to 30% based on financial hardships, another paragraph describing your fitness for scholarship.
  • If you are interested in participating in the MiReKoc Academic Workshops, incorporating presentations by the researchers and discussion sessions with participants as well as renowned academics, please attach the following documents along with your application:
    • Doctoral/academic program including:
      • Affiliation
      • Main area(s) of studies
      • Name(s) of your supervisor(s)
      • Stage of your PhD work
    • Dissertation/on-going research summary: Description of your doctoral dissertation project (around 3 pages), including a title, a precise research question, theoretical framing, empirical research design and preliminary findings, and references. Your description should also clearly convey how data have been collected/analysed, and concisely indicate the academic field to which the thesis aims to contribute.

 

Early application period ends GMT on 3 June 2022. Deadline for application is midnight GMT on 4 July 2022. Early application results will be announced on mid-June. Late application results will be announced at the beginning of July.

Tuition

  • The fee for the face-to-face program is 1500 Euros. The fee covers accommodation at Koç University Campus up to 13 nights, all course materials, social activities, three meals a day and coffee breaks on lecture days.
  • For the participants who wish to self-arrange their accommodation in Istanbul, the fee is 750 Euros. This fee covers all course materials, social activities, two meals a day (breakfast and lunches) and coffee breaks on lecture days.
  • All fee packages cover the expenses of course materials, field trips and social programs.
  • The tuition fee for the online participation is 500 Euros.

Scholarships

  • Two scholarships will be funded on a merit basis. Scholarships will cover the tuition, lowest-cost travel to Türkiye and on-campus accommodation and they will be awarded to outstanding candidates.
  • A limited number of partial scholarships of up to 30% off from the tuition fee will be available for selected candidates. Applicants who wish to apply for a scholarship should indicate their intention in their motivation letter with a short statement of their financial constraints. Please note that this is a non-profit program and the scholarships will be granted based on the availability of funds upon the completion of the application round. Scholarships are not intended for participants who can be funded by their own institutions. It would be appreciated if the applicants can present the unavailability of funds through their institution.
  • Tuition fee for the students affiliated with institutions from the IMISCOE network and UNIC universities will be reduced by 30%.

Travel

All participants (excluding participants who are awarded scholarship) are kindly requested to organize and cover expenses for their travel to and from İstanbul, as well as their local transportation in İstanbul to Koç University.

Timetable 

Friday 3 June – Deadline for early registration period (10% discount is applicable for early registration)

Monday 4 July – Deadline for late registration period

Tuesday 5 July– Notification to the applicants

Tuesday 12 July – Deadline for confirmation to attend and tuition payment

Sunday 24 July– Summer School participants arrive in İstanbul

Monday 25 July– Summer School starts

Friday 5 August– Summer School ends

Other details

  • A certificate will be provided upon successful completion of the program.
  • Additional requirements including an academic presentation and the submission of an original research paper of at least 7.000 words, will be imposed on those participants who are seeking course credits (3 ECTS).

If you have any further queries, please contact the Summer School team via miss@ku.edu.tr.