Matilde (Horizon 2020 project) ‘Migration impact assessment to enhance integration and local development in European rural and mountain regions’ (2020-2023)
#Eurac – project leader; #CERMES - WP ‘Dissemination & Communication’ co-leader
Great international consortium: 10 universities, 6 NGOs, 3 city councils, 3 research centres, 2 governmental agencies, 1 local authority from 10 countries.
Bulgarian team:
Prof. Anna Krasteva (leader)
Prof. Evelyna Staykova, PhD
Chaya Koleva
Vanina Ninova
Despite global trends of urbanization and agglomeration, economic and forced migration flows are moving outside urban areas. So far, this has largely been perceived as yet another burden for already marginalized territories.
AIM
MATILDE aims to examine migration impacts on local development and territorial cohesion in European rural and mountain regions, to improve integration of third-country nationals and local development.
VISION
MATILDE develops and tests concepts and methods to assess the economic and social impacts of migrants in rural and mountain regions. The project moves from the hypothesis that foreign immigration can act as a driver of social and economic development in the medium and long run especially in remote areas, where immigration counterbalances processes such as depopulation and economic decline. It can foster the revitalization of abandoned spaces and generate new demand and stimuli for services of general interest (SGI), with effect on the relations among urban, rural and mountain areas.
EXPECTED RESULTS
• MATILDE methods and concepts to assess the impact of migration at different territorial scales.
• EU-level assessment of the social and economic impacts of migration.
• Local-level assessment of migration impacts in rural and mountain regions through action-research in 13 local case studies.
• Improved governance of migration to support territorial cohesion.
• Informed debate about the impact and the governance of migration across Europe.
A BROAD UNDERSTANDING OF MIGRATION
MATILDE considers a broad range of target groups of EU integration policies, including economic and family migrants, students and researchers, highly skilled migrants, asylum seekers, refugees and status holders and vulnerable groups (victims of trafficking, unaccompanied minors as well as stateless persons).
BUILDING KNOWLEDGE WITH AND FOR LOCAL ACTORS
MATILDE carries out 13 local case studies in 10 different countries, implemented through the synergy among research institutions and local partners engaged in integration processes. Case study areas cover the heterogeneity of rural and mountain areas across Europe, as well as diverse spatial and historic characteristics in terms of migration patterns and governance, welfare systems, socio-cultural and economic systems. Cooperation between researchers and local partner ensures that MATILDE will address the needs and specificities of each area.