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Global migration experts come to Bristol

Press release issued: 9 July 2018

Experts from the UN and other global organisations are meeting in Bristol this week to discuss how to improve the coverage, quality, analysis and reporting of migration data.

The Migration Data for Policy Summer School is the first event of its kind in the world and has been organised by the University of Bristol and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in partnership with the Worldwide Universities Network.

It aims to provide education and training to improve official, academic, NGO and public understanding and use of migration data.

With many thousands of migrant deaths and disappearances being recorded every year, keeping track of and managing migration is one of the biggest global challenges of our times.

The use of migration data training materials developed by IOM's Global Migration Data Analysis Centre (GMDAC) will be introduced alongside other resources available to support their work with IOM data, government and research data on migration.

Speakers include Bela Hovy, Chief of Migration at the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and Jon Simmons, Deputy Director of Migration and Border Analysis at the Home Office.

Event organiser Ann Singleton, from the University of Bristol's School for Policy Studies, said: "There is an urgent need for a more robust evidence base for migration policy.

"Since 2014, more than 23,000 migrant deaths and disappearances have been recorded globally by the IOM, although the real number is likely to be significantly higher because many deaths are unrecorded.

"Improving the quality, analysis and use of migration data is vital that can hopefully prevent further deaths, as well as inform sustainable policies for economic and social development."

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