Repository of Practices

Primary GCM Objectives

GCM Guiding Principles*

*All practices are to uphold the ten guiding principles of the GCM. This practice particularly exemplifies these listed principles.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Dates

2019 - Present

Type of practice

Project/Programme

Geographic scope

Geographic Scope:

Global

Summary

IOM launched the original version of the programme in 2004. However, given that its resources had fallen into limited use over the years, the updated version of the programme was developed in 2018 (rebranded as EMM2.0). While building on its successful predecessor, EMM2.0 combined new trends in the field and marked the crucial shifts in the overall governance of international migration, including the GCM.

The aim of this capacity development tool is to provide online resources and foundational training to government officials and all stakeholders dealing with migration. The programme highlights the interaction between different thematic areas and builds a holistic understanding of migration with whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches. The programme also leverages cooperation at national, regional and global levels, while articulating the relevance of international frameworks on the day-to-day work of government officials and other stakeholders involved.

The programme offers the following features:

• Handbook: Online chapters providing brief yet comprehensive overviews of different topics on migration management.

• E-library: A repository of essential resources, including key IOM and other UN documents on migration management.

• Courses: Various types of training modules which can be delivered face-to-face, online or through a blended modality, including in self-paced e-learning format.

Organizations

Main Implementing Organization(s)

International Organization for Migration (IOM)

Detailed Information

IOM

Benefit and Impact

EMM2.0 aims to strengthen the capacity of government officials and all stakeholders dealing with migration in a more holistic, comprehensive and cooperative way, while responding more effectively to migration challenges. It does so by offering online resources and training sessions covering various facets and dynamics of migration, including developing migration policy, international migration law, human rights of migrants, gender, sustainable development and so on (to be selected according to the specific needs and priorities of the target audience). It also includes key migration-related international frameworks on various thematic areas such as trafficking in persons, migrant smuggling, mobility dimensions of crises, immigration and border management, the environment and climate change, etc.

Given the wide range of thematic modules covered, EMM2.0 provides an important opportunity for dialogues on migration, and for identifying areas of coordination between different government ministries, agencies and institutions. By bringing together stakeholders involved in different migration thematic areas, EMM2.0 highlights the interaction between various policy sectors, building a holistic understanding of migration with whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches.

The impacts are measured through pre- and post-training evaluations assessing the increase in participants’ skills and knowledge in various aspects of migration management. From this foundation, the programme’s sustainability is evaluated based on whether the increased knowledge/skills, as a result of EMM2.0, would improve participants’ work performance. Further, with regards to the programme’s relevance, we assess the extent to which EMM2.0 content is well matched with the job-related needs of migration policymakers and programme implementers, and whether they plan to use the information presented in EMM2.0 beyond the training event.

Key Lessons

EMM2.0 materials are not held static. After every training implementation, the programme team gathers feedback from participants as the basis to improve the materials further, ensuring that they are more and more useful as an aid to learning each time. For example, time was a challenge during the pilot sessions, and since then, the programme team has worked on providing adequate scheduling to cover (more refined) training objectives based on the specific training needs and priority areas of each implementation site.

The added value of EMM2.0 is its global orientation. While it proposes policy options and good practices that have been found to be broadly useful over time, it does not seek to prescribe a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Instead, it recognizes that every situation is different. To this end, the programme team based in HQ works closely with field offices in preparation of each training to ensure that the content is well matched to the job-related needs of the target audience. The global training programme/standardized materials are also contextualized with local examples in order to reflect the regional/national specificities and conditions, making the learning experience fully relevant, useful and interesting to the course participants.

Recommendations(if the practice is to be replicated)

• Stay true to the target audience. During the participant nomination process, specify that EMM2.0 content caters to stakeholders with migration-related policy functions. Establishing clear parameters during the participant nomination process can aid institutions with proper selection process.

• Ensure a diverse list of participants involved in different areas of migration management. This would give EMM2.0 training an added value by offering a unique opportunity to get acquainted with each other and realize the interdependency of their work across divisions, departments and organizations, irrespective of their specific mandates. Contacts made during EMM2.0 events have encouraged cooperation in the future. Participation of female government officials in training events is highly encouraged.

• Select an adequate team of trainers with sufficient facilitation experience and know-how to deliver EMM2.0 sessions. If needed, run a training-of-trainers (ToT) session to certify them.

• Create a training curriculum based on participants’ priority areas and training needs. One method of needs assessment is through a pre-training questionnaire.

• Consolidate results of post-training evaluations to assess the knowledge and skills gained, as well as areas for improvement.

Innovation

The various modalities of EMM2.0 training sessions (which can be implemented either face-to-face, online or in a blended manner) represent innovation in telecommunications and adult learning approaches. The option to partake in self-paced e-learning modules makes it possible to access information anytime and anywhere, while providing immediate knowledge on demand, especially in cases where a tutored or classroom-based training is not possible, such as in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, EMM2.0 handbook chapters and other online resources are not held static in the form of a bulky booklet or a physical manual, but instead, on an interactive and easy-to-navigate e-platform. By hosting online, EMM2.0 content can be updated regularly to reflect emerging trends in the field. The e-platform also provides a venue to share ideas and digital solutions for certified trainers to design and implement cost-effective and tailor-made training sessions.

Additional Resources

Flyer

Essentials of Migration Management 2.0

Media

Message from Department of Programme Support and Migration Management Director

Date submitted:

29 April 2022

Disclaimer: The content of this practice reflects the views of the implementers and does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations, the United Nations Network on Migration, and its members.