On June 26, 2025, we convened our annual Workshop on Migration and Complex Systems, bringing together science and policy for a day of collaborative dialogue. We presented the progress of our project over the past year to our distinguished Science Advisory Board and colleagues from the Ministry of Interior Affairs (BMI). The day began with comprehensive feedback on our research, both at a methodological level and in terms of priority alignment, offering valuable recommendations to strengthen our approach and identify where additional analysis could have the greatest impact.
Following the scientific review, we engaged in focused discussions to explore the policy implications of our research findings. During these discussions, we formally handed over our 2025 report, which synthesizes our recent research and strategic vision for the next phase, allowing for immediate dialogue about practical implementation. Overall, this annual meeting was highly productive and reinforced the importance of sustained collaboration to ensure our work bridges the gap between scientific rigor and practical relevance, addressing complex migration challenges through evidence-based approaches.
The Science Advisory Board includes Dr. Elisa Omodei (Central European University), Prof. Guy Abel (University of Hong Kong), Dr. Julia Teixeira Mourao Permoser (University for Continuing Education Krems), Prof. Peter Turchin (University of Oxford, University of Connecticut and Complexity Science Hub), and Prof. Rainer Münz (Central European University). From the BMI, we were joined by Mag. Thomas Mühlhans, Head of Department V/A/4, whose department manages migration-related funding and serves as Austria’s Single Point of Contact for EU and international projects, overseeing key Home Affairs Funds including AMIF, BMVI, and ISF.