The EU is once again funding the "European Master in Migration and Intercultural Relations". In this interview, consortium member Martin Butler and graduates Saba Al Kuntar and Rueben Okine explain what makes EMMIR so special.
QUESTION: Professor Butler, the EMMIR core team recently received another million euro grant from the EU for the degree programme. How were you able to convince the decision-makers?
BUTLER: One important point is certainly our collaborative approach throughout. All decisions are prepared and made in a consortium of seven universities in Europe and Africa. We were also able to convincingly demonstrate that we are creating a truly interdisciplinary learning and research atmosphere. The core team at the University of Oldenburg alone is very diverse in terms of expertise. First and foremost, there is the "Gender-Migration-Politics" working group under the leadership of Dr Lydia Potts and myself as an Americanist. In addition, there is a whole range of people and institutions that are involved in EMMIR, such as the Centre for Migration, Education and Cultural Studies or the DIVERSITAS network with the universities in Mumbai and Johannesburg. We are certain that an interdisciplinary and international approach is indispensable in the training of migration experts.
QUESTION: How does this complexity manifest itself in concrete terms?
BUTLER: First of all in the structure of the programme. The students complete their first semester in Oldenburg, for the second they go to the University of Stavanger in Norway. In the third semester, they then go on an internship at one of the institutions in the EMMIR network. The students take focus modules at one of our partner universities in Norway, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Uganda, Sudan or, more recently, South Africa. There is another special feature of EMMIR: students not only take part in regular lectures or seminars, but can also attend conferences or workshops with international experts.
QUESTION: Ms Al Kuntar and Mr Okine, you both recently graduated from EMMIR. How did you experience your studies?
OKINE: I had many formative moments. I particularly remember the experience of arriving in a new environment, getting to know new people and finding my way in a different education system. The courses at EMMIR can be used quite flexibly. They allow you to do things that help you personally. But you have to get used to this first - find out what you really want, what you need for your future.
AL KUNTAR: It's also enriching that you get to know so many very different people. My fellow students came from very different cultures. Some were still quite young, others already had special experiences.
OKINE: Yes, I also really enjoyed the cultural diversity. We often cooked together and once we even organised an African night. There was a very intensive social life among the fellow students. We want to maintain that, by the way - we are currently building an alumni network.
QUESTION: But you were still studying, weren't you?
AL KUNTAR (laughs): Of course. We had to work a lot, just like other Master's students. There were hard times when we had to study for hours and write scientific texts. However, I particularly remember the practical work as part of the degree programme. For example, I did a three-month internship with UNICEF in Sudan. Because I speak Arabic, I got straight into the work and even had my own area of responsibility. That was a very important experience. I had the feeling that I could do important work.
OKINE: I also remember many moving moments. When I was in Slovenia, I helped refugees who wanted to cross the border from Slovenia to Austria. Sometimes I worked through the night. That was an important experience. In a way, I was able to test the theories about migration that we heard in the seminar room in reality.
QUESTION: And what's next for you personally?
AL KUNTAR: I work here at the University of Oldenburg, in the "Gender - Migration - Politics" working group. I've been teaching there since April on the subject of migration as part of the EMMIR degree programme. The role of lecturer wasn't easy for me at first, but I've settled in quite well now.
OKINE: I'm still in the decision-making process. I could go back to Ghana. I already worked there before my studies, in the Ministry of the Interior. But I could also imagine working on one of the interesting projects that I got to know through EMMIR. In any case, I feel well prepared by my studies.
QUESTION: And what's next for EMMIR, Mr Butler? The second phase starts next year.
BUTLER: The programme is actually always on the move. We regularly think about what could be improved and how we can further develop the degree programme thematically. Each cohort brings new individuals with new interests. This is a great resource for us and keeps the degree programme lively and effective. In order to firmly anchor this process of further development in the degree programme, we have integrated a new working format into EMMIR II. It is called "Navigating EMMIR" and is intended to help students find their own way in EMMIR, but also to ensure that we are constantly thinking about where the degree programme could or should develop. It's quite time-consuming. But it's worth it. Definitely.
