The Center will offer capacity building programs specifically designed for target groups in the field of migration and human mobility, with an emphasis on theoretical knowledge, as well as practical skills. Throughout the program, participants will benefit from useful input from a core group of trainers, migration experts in the field, and guest lecturers from renowned international organizations, think-tanks and tertiary education institutions in various countries.

The Center will provide specialized knowledge and empower target groups through the four specialized activities:

• Research Engagement
• Tailor-made Trainings
• Knowledge Hub and Network of Experts
• Innovation Lab

i.          RESEARCH ENGAGEMENT

This activity will include conducting research in the field of migration, as well as ensuring the organization and improvement of methodological work. The Center will combine research and training activities and its research mission will be to provide new insights into the all aspects of migration process in regional and international contexts. Thus its research activities will cover a wide range of migration issues and all other related areas. For organizing effective research activity of the Center it is necessary to develop engagement with relevant local universities/research centers, appointment of coordinators from these universities/research centers, establishment of their network and holding regular contacts with them. Research centers/partner universities will be provided with topics in the field of migration, and researches/students will compile papers/course or diploma works on these topics, and thus, continuous analysis in migration sphere will be carried out. The results of research will be placed in a database and will be used during courses and trainings that will be organized at the Center.

ii.         TAILOR-MADE TRAININGS

In order to achieve the main objectives of the Center, courses/trainings covering various aspects of migration will be consistently organized. This activity will include, but not limited to, organizing summer / winter schools, short and long term courses, certificate programs, online trainings, trainings of trainers, language courses targeted at specific audiences at the request of universities, foreign partners and government structures, private and civil sector, media etc. Furthermore, trainings delivered by the representatives of the international partners and relevant stakeholders will be organized. It is planned to create training opportunity in the Center for 40-50 persons simultaneously, in person or online. Organization of courses/trainings will cover two main directions: local and regional. According to local direction, courses will be organized for employees of the migration bodies and other relevant entities of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The regional aspect of this direction will cover the employees of the migration bodies and other relevant entities from the Participating States. Center’s training programmes will address a broad range of issues, such as migration management, migration and development, migration policy, labour migration, protection, security, legislation, asylum, gender issues, climate change and many other topics related to migration. The training objectives of topics will be achieved through lectures, workshops, seminars, interactive discussions, debates, etc., including blend of online ones, and virtual interactive sessions, as well as guest presentations from the relevant Ministries and various organizations, researchers and academics working in the field of migration. In addition to the classical forms of teaching and learning, in connection with today's changing circumstances, importance of online training is becoming more evident. Online training platforms are very important digital tools which also provide wider outreach. Thus, virtual platform will be created for organization effective distance learning in the Center. Online trainings, video conferencing, podcasts, video lessons, online tests will be available during this type of learning. The online trainings will familiarize participants with a range of tools, while ensuring they are effectively monitored by means of various evaluation methods. These include brief written assignments, papers, presentations, oral evaluations, group participation and online group work.        

iii.      KNOWLEDGE HUB AND NETWORK OF EXPERTS

The Center will act as knowledge hub for different stakeholders and will create opportunities for developing new skills and how it supports practitioners. The knowledge hub will be launched to help sharing information, discussing ideas and opportunities and encouraging stronger collaboration. Through this activity trainees of the Center will receive high quality training, through innovative learning techniques.

Furthermore, this activity covers establishment of Network of Experts in the fields of migration, refugee, asylum, labor migration, citizenship, human trafficking, IDPs, security and other. Network of Experts will include both international and national experts, including but not limited to migration practitioners, lawyers, academics, and will be selected in close involvement of local and foreign universities, international organizations, state authorities, etc. These experts will establish the pool of trainers in the Center, and will also participate in the creation of an e-library. Furthermore, this activity will provide developing of exchange opportunities via meetings, workshops, visits and expert missions in the regional level.

iv.        INNOVATION LAB

The Center will also have an innovation lab where youth, private sector, civil society and other interested parties will join efforts to shape new and innovative ideas that will contribute to the better management of migration. The lab will facilitate application of innovative solutions for the purpose of empowering youth and unlocking their potential to respond to the challenges and opportunities of migration. This will be enabled through establishment of effective coordination and realization of stimulating activities (different types of grant based competitions, initiatives). This activity will cover the creation of accelerators that will use the methods of agile start-ups with the aim of developing new ideas that can complement and amend existing legislation, practice, theory, methodology, etc., as well as make innovations in general. It can be proposals on digital transformation, implementation of new projects, finding new donors and other.

EXPECTATIONS

Taking into account the activity directions overall activity of the Training Center will contribute to the following:

• facilitation of access to extensive evidence, data and resources that will feed into policymaking process in the field of migration
• establishment of effective coordination mechanism between academia and practitioners for the promotion of needs based and demand driven research
• development of tailor-made courses in accordance with the needs of the target groups.
• extension of the outreach in the field of migration capacity building through virtual learning
• boosting effective exchange of information and best practices in the field of migration management
• fostering partnerships between all the stakeholders of migration
• engaging youth as one of the key partners in migration governance
• application of innovations in migration management by supporting innovative ideas, as well as startups in this field