The Centre for Advanced Migration Studies (AMIS), is a research centre at the

University of Copenhagen The University of Copenhagen ( da, Københavns Universitet, KU) is a prestigious public university, public research university in Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. Founded in 1479, the University of Copenhagen is the second-oldest university in ...

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark ...

. It engages in

interdisciplinary research Interdisciplinarity or interdisciplinary studies involves the combination of multiple academic disciplines into one activity (e.g., a research project). It draws knowledge from several other fields like sociology, anthropology, psychology, ec ...

and postgraduate teaching concerning

human migration Human migration is the movement of people from one place to another with intentions of settling, permanently or temporarily, at a new location (geographic region). The movement often occurs over long distances and from one country to another (ex ...

. The centre is part of a growing trend in recognizing

migration studies Migration studies is the academic study of human migration. Migration studies is an interdisciplinary field which draws on anthropology, prehistory, history, economics, law, sociology and postcolonial studies. Origin and development of migration s ...

as a distinct field of academic research.

Courses

The Centre provides

postgraduate research Postgraduate research represents a formal area of study that is recognized by a university or institute of higher learning. By definition, the notion of “postgraduate” (United States) carries the implication that the candidate undertaking such ...

training to approximately 70 students. This includes training in advanced research methods, teaching on

social theory Social theories are analytical frameworks, or paradigms, that are used to study and interpret social phenomena.Seidman, S., 2016. Contested knowledge: Social theory today. John Wiley & Sons. A tool used by social scientists, social theories rela ...

fieldwork Field research, field studies, or fieldwork is the collection of raw data outside a laboratory, library, or workplace setting. The approaches and methods used in field research vary across disciplines. For example, biologists who conduct fie ...

, and personal supervision. It hosts a

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...

(

Cand.mag. Candidatus magisterii (male), or candidata magisterii (female), abbreviated as cand.mag., is an academic degree currently awarded in Denmark. The degree is officially translated into English as Master of Arts and currently requires 5 years of studi ...

) in Advanced Migration Studies, an interdisciplinary 2-year course. The MA programme trains

graduate students Postgraduate or graduate education refers to academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications pursued by post-secondary students who have earned an undergraduate (bachelor's) degree. The organization and struc ...

to understand the diverse field of human migration, and addresses social policy, integration, diversity management, intercultural exchanges, and border studies. The programme combines academic approaches from the humanities and the

social sciences Social science is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among individuals within those societies. The term was formerly used to refer to the field of sociology, the original "science of soci ...

. The Centre also hosts students pursuing a PhD in migration issues.

Organisation

For administrative purposes, the centre is officially part of the SAXO Institute, which is in turn a division within the faculty of humanities. For teaching purposes, nine lecturers are currently part of the centre. There are approximately 70 centre affiliates, and five visiting scholars. The centre also maintains close links with

Malmö University Malmö University ( sv, Malmö universitet) is a public university located in Malmö, Sweden. With more than 24,000 students and about 1,600 employees (academic and administrative), Malmö University is the ninth largest institute of learning in S ...

Aalborg University Aalborg University (AAU) is a Danish public university with campuses in Aalborg, Esbjerg, and Copenhagen founded in 1974. The university awards bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and PhD degrees in a wide variety of subjects within humanities ...

Roskilde University Roskilde University ( da, Roskilde Universitet, abbreviated RUC or RU) is a Danish public university founded in 1972 and located in Trekroner in the Eastern part of Roskilde. The university awards bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and PhD deg ...

, and the

Danish Institute for International Studies The Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS) is a public institute for independent research and analysis of international affairs, financed primarily by the Danish state. DIIS conducts and communicates multidisciplinary research on global ...

because of their own respective research and teaching focuses on international migration. Multiple staff members hold joint appointments at these other organisations.

Aims

The centre's official aims are as follows: * To facilitate cooperation among researchers who work on issues of migration, * To stimulate national and international research cooperation on migration, and hosting talks, seminars and conferences, * To address issues concerning immigration and integration for which there is significant societal interest, * To provide a forum in which research projects and papers can be developed, discussed and improved.

History

The Migration Initiative at the University of Copenhagen predates the centre, and was an interdisciplinary research network with participation from six separate faculties:

anthropology Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including past human species. Social anthropology studies patterns of behavi ...

geography Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth description") is a field of science devoted to the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, and ...

, intercultural and regional studies, media and communication,

public health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...

, and

psychology Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries betwe ...

. It organised seminars, lecture series, courses, and workshops. It had three central themes: "migration, mobility and networks in a globalized perspective", "affiliation and cultural variation", and "social relations and institutions in everyday life" In spring 2009, the Migration Initiative, in conjunction with the department of anthropology, offered

undergraduate Undergraduate education is education conducted after secondary education and before postgraduate education. It typically includes all postsecondary programs up to the level of a bachelor's degree. For example, in the United States, an entry-lev ...

and graduate level courses in cross-disciplinary approaches to migration. This combined scholarship from anthropology, political science, philosophy, law, health, psychology, socio-linguistics, religion, cultural studies, economics and geography. At this time, teaching was based at City Campus. In January 2010, the Danish Research Centre for Migration, Ethnicity and Health was founded as a separate organisation which remains based as City Campus. The Centre for Advanced Migration Studies was then inaugurated in 2013. The centre's first director was Nils Holtug (2013-2019), a professor of philosophy. He was then succeeded by Marie Sandberg in 2019, her research focuses on European borders.

Media coverage

The centre is routinely sought for comment regarding migration issues both in Europe, and in

Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion#Europe, subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, ...

specifically. The centre has been featured in ''

Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...

'' magazine, '' The Local'', ''Videnskab'', DR, ''Slate'',

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...

, and ''

Politiken ''Politiken'' is a leading Danish daily broadsheet newspaper, published by JP/Politikens Hus in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was founded in 1884 and played a role in the formation of the Danish Social Liberal Party. Since 1970 it has been independe ...

''.

Location

AMIS is based at the University of Copenhagen's South Campus, on the island of

Amager Amager ( or, especially among older speakers, ) in the Øresund is Denmark's most densely populated island, with more than 212,000 inhabitants (January 2021) a small appendage to Zealand. The protected natural area of ''Naturpark Amager'' (includi ...

in the northernmost part of

Ørestad Ørestad () is a developing city area in Copenhagen, Denmark, on the island of Amager. The area was developed using the new town concept, closely linked with the M1 line of the Copenhagen Metro. Economically, income for the plan would be generate ...

. This is also the location of the University's

Faculty of Humanities A faculty is a division within a university or college comprising one subject area or a group of related subject areas, possibly also delimited by level (e.g. undergraduate). In American usage such divisions are generally referred to as colleges ...

, Faculty of Theology and the

Faculty of Law A faculty is a division within a university or college comprising one subject area or a group of related subject areas, possibly also delimited by level (e.g. undergraduate). In American usage such divisions are generally referred to as colleges ...

. Islands Brygge Station is located nearby.

References

External links

* {{authority control Educational institutions in Denmark Universities in Denmark Migration studies 2013 establishments in Denmark