This event gathered together an interdisciplinary group of scholars for an exploratory workshop focusing on the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The aim was to bring together a group of experts with established expertise and/or demonstrated research interest in the operation and accountability of international organisations in the migration and refugee regimes, with a particular focus on the role of the IOM. 

Discussions on the day addressed what the main unexplored scholarly questions pertaining to IOM are; which current challenges (institutional, legal, and/or political) are facing the IOM and lastly what an ‘ideal IOM’ would do and how?

The aim of this first workshop was to take stock of the scholarship and evidence base on the organisation (and the gaps therein), and to develop a research framework to inform the collection and further work. Over the course of the RefMig project, we will scrutinise the evolution of the IOM’s mandate and activities, with published outputs to include an edited collection focusing on mandate and accountability reforms that are due, particularly in light of the organisation’s renewed role under the New York Declaration and The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, and its new ‘UN-related’ status.