All Publications

Return Policy in Germany. Ways to Strengthen Financed Voluntary Departure

Study | March 2017

Even though voluntary departure of failed asylum seekers takes precedence over deportations, there are hardly any legally binding specifications to implement and fund this option. The weight given to financed voluntary return is very different depending on the Land. SVR’s Research Unit examined return policy practices in three Länder and derived the following recommendations: return counselling should be introduced throughout Germany and be embedded in law; there is a need for better coordination between the federal government and the Länder, stronger support structures as well as clear and transparent guidelines for enforcement by the authorities.

What’s Really Important: Insight into the Living Situation of Refugees

To The Point | January 2017

(Only available in German)

Real social contact to the population in Germany is important to refugees. They want an intact social life and stable personal relationships. This is one of the first findings of the study on the living situation of refugees which is being carried out in collaboration between the SVR Research Unit and the Robert Bosch Stiftung. Around 60 qualitative interviews are being conducted with refugees for the study. What makes the study unique is the open interview section where refugees have the opportunity at the beginning to freely talk about the issues that are important to them. The open interview section of one third of the interviews was evaluated for the information paper. The complete study will be published in November 2017.

Arriving and Staying in Germany: Facilitating Integration by Assigning Place of Residence?

Policy Brief l November 2016

Since the Integration Act went into force in August 2016, a domicile requirement has applied for refugees who have been granted protected status and are dependent on social benefits. This requirement aims to prevent refugees from moving to other federal states (Länder) and to encourage integration. At the same time, the Länder may also assign where refugees live within the state itself. But uniform distribution alone is no guarantee that integration will be successful. Using the state of Brandenburg as an example, the Policy Brief looks at how the domicile requirement can be implemented so that it is expedient in integration policy terms and provides policy recommendations for the Länder and municipalities.

Black, Red, Green: What are the Party Preferences of Immigrants?

Policy Brief l October 2016

17 million people with a migration background live in Germany; the portion of the population made up by immigrants will continue to further increase in the next few years. For the political parties, this represents a pool of potential voters, members and leaders that has yet to be tapped into. The Policy Brief analyses the party preferences of immigrants in more detail by key groups of origin. In addition to Spät-/Aussiedler, or repatriated ethnic Germans, and people of Turkish descent, a distinction was also made between EU immigrants who came to Germany before the end of 2000, new EU immigrants who arrived in 2001 or later and people from the "rest of the world". The most important finding was that the party affiliations of immigrants have, in part, undergone a significant transformation. The Policy Brief recommends that the political parties target the needs of immigrants more effectively to encourage their political involvement. The Policy Brief is based on a special analysis of the SVR's 2016 Integration Barometer.

Teacher Training in Germany: Preparing Educators for Increasingly Diverse Classrooms

Policy Brief | September 2016

Every third school child in Germany has a migration background. For most teachers, it has long been the norm to teach pupils with different origins and native languages. However, teachers in most federal states are still inadequately prepared for everyday school life in Germany as an immigration country. This is shown by the joint analysis conducted by the Expert Council's Research Unit and the Mercator Institute for Literacy and Language Education. The core recommendation: basic training in language development and intercultural education must be guaranteed for all teachers in Germany.

Improving Education for Migrant-Background Students: A Transatlantic Comparison of School Funding

Study | June 2016

The educational needs of migrant-background students in primary and secondary schools pose a growing challenge for policymakers and educators around the world. For policymakers, school funding designs are an important means of influencing how schools and school districts serve their students who are immigrants or the children of immigrants.

In a joint report, the U.S.-based Migration Policy Institute and the Expert Council's Research Unit shed light on supplementary funding mechanisms targeted to migrant-background students, and some of the key challenges and strategies decisionmakers are wrestling with as they attempt to ensure that additional resources are used effectively. The joint research project was funded by the Stiftung Mercator.

Doubly Disadvantaged? Children and Young People with a Migration Background in the German Education System

Expert Report I May 2016

The Expert Council's Research Unit shows in this expert report that children and young people from immigrant families are doubly disadvantaged over their entire educational careers: as a result of their immigrant background, but even more importantly due to their social origin. This is the result of an in-depth analysis of the current research on the double disadvantage conducted by the Expert Council's Research Unit. Based on the analysis, the expert report provides recommendations for policy and practice as well as for future research.

Global Migration Governance: Germany as an Architect of International Migration Policy

Policy Brief l March 2016 

No country in the world can overcome the challenges posed by migration on its own, but the international laws governing migration management are similar to a patchwork quilt. Since the turn of the millennium, however, global migration policy has undergone rapid change. Germany has been increasingly active: in 2017/18, it will, together with Morocco, chair the Global Forum on Migration and Development. It has become one of the architects of international migration policy. The Expert Council's Research Unit recommends: the political departments in Germany should not remain in their current crisis mode, but should agree to long-term guiding principles for migration foreign policy as soon as possible in order to ensure that the international dialogue on migration is further advanced in collaborative efforts.

One Step Ahead. International Students Improve Professional Opportunities through Practical Experience

Policy Brief l February 2016

International students are viewed as the skilled professionals of tomorrow, but too many of them do not get off to a good career start on the German labour market. They can significantly improve their prospects through volunteer work and internships. The survey of 2,565 master's degree students shows: anyone who volunteers speaks better German, has more contact to domestic students and feels a greater sense of belonging in Germany than other students who don't. In addition, volunteering contributes to creating networks and to acquiring skills relevant to the job application process. Volunteer work is therefore just as important as internships for professional opportunities later on. The Expert Council's Research Unit recommends: universities should establish networks with the private sector, local actors and volunteer agencies to give international students better access to internships and volunteer work.