The Moving the Migration Policy Agenda Forward programme (MMPAF) is an online capacity-building programme primarily designed for government officials working in migration and/or asylum, but it is also open to other practitioners and students interested in managing migration and asylum policies.

MMPAF is a series of tutor-led online courses, which use various teaching and evaluation methods, including lectures and interactive sessions with participants. Special attention is paid to hands-on practical exercises, notably via the Problem Based Learning (PBL) method.

The MMPAF programme will offer the following four online courses:
i. Diaspora Engagement
ii. Migration and Development
iii. Irregular Migration
iv. Migration Policy Coherence

Each course runs for one week, on a full-time basis. Each of the courses is deliberately broken down into smaller learning blocks, making the learning process both structured and digestible. To ensure the programme’s quality, there is a full-time commitment requirement of 40 hours per week from participants – including contact hours (for online sessions) and self-preparation – with particular attention paid to interactive exercises and practical workshops.

Eligibility criteria

Be fluent in spoken and written English
Hold a minimum Bachelor’s university degree
Valid copy of passport or ID
Be sufficiently confident in computer skills to follow an education programme online
Work as government officials in the field of migration and/or asylum in the countries of EU Southern Neighbourhood, South Asia, Sub-Sahara Africa, Silk Route, Central Asia. Have full and written support from their employers stating that the applicant will not be expected to carry out their work duties for the duration of the MMPAF
Have full and written support from their employers stating that the applicant will not be expected to carry out their work duties for the duration of the MMPAF. If the applicant is not able to obtain the written support on time, it is possible to submit a self-declaration document.

MMPAF Courses 2025

During the winter/spring semester 2025, the following MMPAF courses will be offered:

24 February - 28 February: Policy Coherence in Migration, with prof. dr. Ronald Skeldon
17 March - 21 March: Migration & Development, with prof. dr. Khalid Koser
24 March - 28 March: Irregular Migration, with UNU-MERIT PhD fellow Lalaine Siruno
7 April - 11 April: Diaspora Engagement, with prof. dr. Melissa Siegel

Applications to the course

The application deadline for the 2025 MMPAF intake is 3 December 2024 at 23:59hrs (CEST) via the online application portal. Applications submitted after this date will NOT be considered. Applications via email will not be accepted.

This course is free of charge for the selected participants, thanks to generous funding from the European Union (EU) through the Migration Partnership Facility (MPF) of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD). The programme is addressed to civil servants and policy practitioners working in migration management in the countries of the EU Southern Neighbourhood, South Asia, Sub-Sahara Africa, Silk Route, Central Asia.

Applications are welcome from the following eligible countries:

EU Southern Neighbourhood Countries: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, State of Palestine, Syria and Tunisia
South Asia: India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Pakistan.
Sub-Sahara Africa: Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, The Gambia, Uganda.
Silk Route Countries: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Bangladesh.
Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan.