The discussion surrounding refugees in recent years has influenced many aspects of Dutch society. Various municipalities, organizations, and local initiatives have experimented with innovative approaches to increase inclusivity and enhance the social participation of refugees. However, no single party can provide all the answers. Therefore, bringing together the knowledge and experience of scholars, policymakers, social partners, and refugees themselves is of paramount importance.

Connecting knowledge

The Refugee Academy regularly organizes gatherings where practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and concerned individuals (with and without refugee backgrounds) come together to discuss and reflect on various themes related to the inclusion of refugees in the Netherlands. These gatherings prioritize the refugee perspective by connecting policy visions and organizational agendas with the life stories of refugees and by inviting professionals with refugee backgrounds to actively contribute to the debate on refugee inclusion.

The Refugee Academy provides an infrastructure for connecting existing academic, professional, and practical knowledge to bring research and practice closer together. Together, these different forms of knowledge help us reflect on what is needed to make initiatives and policies surrounding refugees truly inclusive. With this approach, the Refugee Academy aims to establish unorthodox connections, thereby enhancing the learning, reflective, and action capacities of stakeholders.

Research

The research of the Refugee Academy aims to increase the learning and reflective capacities of all stakeholders, including policymakers, government agencies, businesses, NGOs, social organizations, and researchers.