Managing Borders and Migration — BIG Summer Institutes

Migration is one of the most pressing policy challenges at borders today. Governments must balance security, economic needs, and human rights across complex, interconnected systems — from asylum and refugee protection to student mobility and temporary foreign workers. Professionals working in this space require an intergrated, globally-informed, yet contextually revelant perspective.

This course examines the full range of migration governance through case studies from North America, Europe, Africa, and beyond. You will analyse real policy and practice dilemmas and develop the skills to evaluate migration policy options in your own context.

• The major international frameworks that govern cross-border human mobility (UN conventions, refugee law, global compacts)
• How asylum systems work in practice, including the role of border agencies in processing claims
• How states respond to large-scale migration events, using case studies from Europe and the U.S.–Mexico border
• The global governance of human trafficking and the key policy challenges in combating it
• How international student mobility and temporary foreign worker programmes shape border management
• The political, legal, and ethical dimensions of unauthorized migration and border defiance
• How to evaluate the potential impacts of different policy measures on different forms of migration
• How to use real-world case studies to analyse policy trade-offs

BIG_Lab is an international policy and research network based at the University of Victoria, Canada, dedicated to advancing border governance worldwide. Now in its 6th year, the BIG Summer Institutes have brought together 50+ expert speakers and 500+ participants from 30+ countries. Learn more at www.biglobalization.ca

"The BIG Summer Institutes program delivered an exceptionally practical learning experience led by engaging, well-chosen lecturers who are true professionals from industry — a rare and valuable combination. The diverse, global perspectives of fellow participants enriched discussions and created a dynamic, case-driven learning environment."

— Yuriy Kosmyna, Migration and Border Governance Senior Programme Specialist, IOM Mission in Ukraine

"The fellowship has greatly broadened my understanding of global border issues and strengthened my commitment to advancing inclusive and interdisciplinary approaches in my own work."

— S.L. Chikomo, Lecturer, Ezekiel Guti University, Zimbabwe

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Host or Publisher University of Victoria, Faculty of Social Sciences