Partners of the YOUMIG project met in Budapest, Hungary on March 2-3, 2017 to kick-off cooperation in the next 30 months and to review the project objectives and share ideas on the best approaches to implementation.

First participants met in the framework of a conference that highlighted the key themes YOUMIG will address until 2019, and introduced the project’s thematic experts and work package leaders for each topic. The conference drew over 70 participants and discussions continued in the coffee breaks and during lunch. The keynote speaker, Heinz Fassmann, from the University of Vienna, introduced the audience to different ways in which young migrants can be targeted in research, and other speakers, the leaders of work packages or activities, also addressed such issues as categories of migration and how youth migration differs from other research focuses.

After lunch partners sat down in a more familiar setting, enjoying the opportunity to great people they already knew from previous collaborations and also to meet the many new participants to YOUMIG. Working together as a light and entertaining start on a project quiz, everyone soon became at ease with at least the people at their table. The quiz incorporated questions on project know-how as well as fun facts specific to each member country. Knowing some of each other’s’ national dishes and favourite places to visit, for example, seemed like a good place to start.

Next, the researchers responsible for various thematic topics and work packages went deeper into details on what lies ahead in YOUMIG in the upcoming years. Project management responsibilities were also introduced with a lot of flowcharts and visuals in a step-by-step approach. An evening dinner and boat cruise on the river Danube made the long working day memorable and set the scene for less structured discussions. Budapest by night ­and a meeting actually on the river added a nice touch to the motto: “a stream of cooperation”.

Friday, the second day, saw more group work, and participants were split into even smaller groups, each with its own specialised target area and agenda for discussion. In one room the thematic experts attempted the challenging task of bringing academics and statistics experts from a vast array of different backgrounds and nationalities onto the same page about the project’s objectives and workload. The heated but fruitful exchange lasted for several hours and everyone took advantage of the benefits of a face-to-face debate. Another group consisted of financial managers who toiled away at what the project will mean in terms of numbers and adherence to regulations. The communication managers formed a third group, and on their plate were the many aspects of managing the project’s visibility and promotion. The session wrapped up in the three groups coming together for a warm farewell and clear instructions on how to proceed in their outlined project responsibilities.

YOUMIG partners will soon be receiving summaries of each section covered by the conference and the group work and a period of feedback and consultations will follow. Participants set the date for the next partnership meeting and conference, to be held in Belgrade, for June 7-8, 2017.

All photos by Tamás Weisz.