Do migrants navigate their choices based on policies or realities of their lives?
On 6 March 2026, the European Migration Network (EMN) Slovakia, together with the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) Europe and the Slovak Academy of Sciences’ Institute for Forecasting, co-organized a policy event From Evidence to Action: Understanding Migration Choices in Times of Change.
Drawing on findings from the ISS-led PACES project (Making migration and migration policy decisions amidst societal transformations), this event brought together researchers, policymakers and practitioners to examine how people make migration decisions and how policies shape these choices.
Speakers
Speakers included experts from the Slovak Academy of Sciences, the University of Alicante, and the University of Milan, with moderation by PACES Principal Investigator, Dr Simona Vezzoli.
Understanding how migration decisions are made
The event’s evidence session presented new findings from PACES fieldwork conducted across Europe and Africa. Researchers highlighted differences between policy intentions and real-life decision-making patterns, including insights into:
- migration aspirations along the journey
- how social norms shape decisions to migrate or stay
- public opinion on migration policies in several EU Member States
- the real-world influence of information campaigns and return policies
The event also included a policy discussion exploring how Slovakia and other European countries can better integrate evidence into migration and integration policy design. Panelists reflected on:
- balancing policy goals with lived realities,
- the role of local-level integration services and actors,
- aligning public expectations with effective migration management, and
- opportunities for cooperation between research and policymaking communities.
The debate underscored the need for research-informed approaches at a time of rapid societal change and shifting migration dynamics.
- More information
About PACES
PACES (Making Migration and Migration Policy Decisions Amidst Societal Transformations) is a 40 month project funded by Horizon Europe. It operates across several European and African countries, analysing both:
- migration decision-making (in Algeria, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Niger, Tunisia, Italy, Slovakia, Spain), and
- migration policy decision-making (EU level and selected Member States)
The project generates original datasets, academic articles, scenario workshops, heuristic tools and policy briefs, all aimed at helping policymakers better incorporate evidence into migration policy design.
- Related links
- EMN Slovakia cohosted policy event linking research and practice
Governance of Migration and Diversity MA track