The Role of Higher and Further Education – The Integration of Migrants in Europe

Migration is a key feature of population change in Europe, shaping the continent’s economy, labour markets and demography. In 2013 there were 20 million non-EU nationals living in the European Union, representing around 4% of the total population, up from 3.4% in 2005 (OECD /EU 2015, p. 300). The EU’s core principle of free movement, globalization and the stability and relative prosperity of EU Member States mean that this trend is set to continue. To date Europe’s migrant integration policies have been a necessary but insufficient response to the needs of this rapidly diversifying population and of their hosts. Divergent employment outcomes between migrants and natives, segregated neighbourhoods and, in some cases, social unrest reflect this reality (Collett /Petrovic 2014, p. 3).