MiDiP: Migration.Digitale.Pädagogik / Migration.Digital.Pedagogy

The project 'Migration.Digital.Pedagogy' (MiDiP) aimed to communicate knowledge on migration in an age-appropriate manner in view of raising awareness on the society’s responsibility for an effective migration policy.

The MiDiP project addressed educators and students in Austria, as well as the general public. Building on the success of the two previous projects MIKO (Migration Communication 2017-2018) and MIKS (Migration.Communication.Schools 2019-2020), the third phase of the project aimed to further develop, optimise and, above all, digitalise existing project outputs to provide students with age-appropriate (digital) materials and educators with tools to communicate the various facets of migration in a neutral, evidence-based and constructive manner.

In the framework of the project, materials were developed for each school level. In addition to a picture book for the elementary level, the audio book series "The Good Time" and the audio book "The Night of the Diaries" has been developed for the primary level. For the secondary level, the card quiz UNDERSTANDING AUSTRIA.TOGETHER has been produced. Moreover, a first version of the policy and democracy board game GOVERNING AUSTRIA.TOGETHER was created for the secondary level, which is based on the already existing policy simulation game. Considering the major role digitalisation plays in today’s schools and other areas of life, the development of an app-assisted hybrid version of this board game is foreseen in the future. Three explanatory videos summarise the thematic topics of social peace, diversity, and public security and state institutions from the report of the Migration Council for Austria. All finalised outputs were made available to educators in form of a 'toolkit'.

Within the project’s research component, an accompanying study was conducted throughout the project to contribute to the national "Migration and Society" process, which brings together experts, relevant practitioners and the society as a whole to explore i.a. the acceptance of certain migration policies and the feasibility of previous recommendations in this field. The research results should also provide policy-makers with a better understanding as to how migration is viewed by the population and by practitioners from the area of system-relevant state and social functions.

The project was based on the findings of the 2016 report by the Migration Council for Austria, which elaborates a balanced approach to migration based on future scenarios, and addresses 10 sub-areas of migration, ranging from demographic developments and changes in society to the configuration of the migration system in Austria.

To communicate the findings of the report, the Federal Ministry of the Interior, the University College of Teacher Education Lower Austria and ICMPD have launched the joint initiative MAKING A CHANGE.TOGETHER, which provided the framework for the MiDiP initiative as well as its two predecessor projects, MIKO and MIKS.