Migration Policy Centre

What Migration Policy Centre does

The Migration Policy Centre (MPC) is an academic research centre housed within the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at the European University Institute (EUI), based in San Domenico di Fiesole, Florence, Italy. It conducts interdisciplinary research on the drivers, governance, and ethics of international migration, with a particular focus on translating empirical findings into policy-relevant outputs for European and international institutions. The centre is led by Director Prof. Andrew Geddes and draws on senior fellows including Martin Ruhs, Rainer Bauböck, and Philippe Fargues, operating with a staff of approximately ten researchers and project staff.

MPC's core outputs span policy reports, peer-reviewed academic publications, curated open-access databases, and structured research programmes. Notable assets include the Migration Movies Database, a hand-curated catalogue of over 500 screen works depicting migration from 1940 to 2024; the Dilemmas Project, a long-running examination of ethical trade-offs in migration policy; the Migration Research to Policy Co-Lab, a 12-institution consortium coordinated under a Horizon Europe INNOVATE grant; and the U-LEAD programme delivered with UNICEF Europe and Central Asia. The centre also hosts funded research projects such as the Austrian Science Foundation (FWF)-backed 'Migration as Morality Politics' study.

MPC's business model is institutional rather than commercial: it is funded through EU framework programme grants (notably Horizon Europe), national research council grants (e.g., FWF), partnership contracts with multilateral agencies such as UNICEF, and underlying institutional support from EUI. Outputs are predominantly open-access, and there is no fee-based product line. Customer relationships are concentrated among EU institutions, UN agencies, and national research funders, making grant-cycle success the primary driver of operating capacity.

Name

Migration Policy Centre

Legal name

Migration Policy Centre – MPC

Website

https://migrationpolicycentre.eu

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Migration Policy Centre is a Florence-based academic research centre within the EUI's Robert Schuman Centre, conducting interdisciplinary research on migration governance and ethics. It serves EU institutions, UNICEF, and national funders through policy reports, curated databases, and multi-institution research consortia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research and Academic Research Services

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGABAH

Refugee, Migration & Displacement Support

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/International Development & Poverty Alleviation

SECONDARYBPAGAEAI

Refugee & Immigrant Support Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Services & Community Support (Food, Housing, Family)

SECONDARYBPADAAAH

Migration, Refugees & Labor Mobility IGOs

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Multilateral & Intergovernmental Organizations

Keywords

• Policy research
• Migration governance
• Academic research services
• Policy analysis
• Training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Fiesole

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Institutional Funding: Funded as part of the Robert Schuman Centre at the European University Institute, with support from EU research frameworks including Horizon Europe projects.
2. Training Programs: Offers expert-led training programs on migration topics, generating revenue through educational services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Migration Policy Centre conducts advanced academic research on the transnational governance of international migration, asylum, and mobility, and delivers open-access publications, research databases, ethical policy analyses, expert-led training, and collaborative programs connecting researchers, policymakers, and practitioners. As an integral part of the Robert Schuman Centre at the European University Institute, its outputs are funded through EU institutional resources and grants such as the Horizon Europe INNOVATE project.

Product overview

The Migration Policy Centre is a research institution at the European University Institute that provides advanced research and training on international migration, asylum and mobility. Its offerings include research databases (Migration Movies Database with 500+ screen works), ethical policy analysis platforms (The Dilemmas Project with scholarly debates), youth engagement programmes (U-LEAD), collaborative policy platforms (Co-Lab), and comparative research projects (PRIME). The centre does not offer commercial software products but rather research outputs, publications, training, and collaborative platforms for the migration policy community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Migration Movies Database A research database that gathers more than 500 screen works released between 1940 and 2024 to shed light on the cultural imagination of migration through its portrayal in cinema, intended for researchers, academics, and the broader public interested in migration studies.
• The Dilemmas Project An open-access research platform exploring ethical challenges in migration and refugee policymaking, featuring kick-off papers, scholarly responses, and rejoinders on specific policy dilemmas, aimed at policymakers, civil society, and academics.
• U-LEAD Programme A twelve-week, youth-led initiative delivered in partnership with UNICEF Europe and Central Asia that brings together unaccompanied minors, young adults, Italian high-school students, and academics to build leadership, empathy, and civic participation in Florence, Italy.
• Migration Research to Policy Co-Lab A collaborative platform connecting researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to ensure that evidence on migration is useful, practical, and applicable to current policy challenges, powered by the Horizon Europe INNOVATE project.
• PRIME Project A comparative research project examining how institutions and policies compare between countries with different histories, politics, and cultures, with associated podcast series (Clare Fox-Ruhs and Joakim Palme podcast).
• Migration Policy Training Programs Expert-led training programs (including summer school and specialized workshops) on migration topics, providing professional development for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ screen works documented in Migration Movies Database (1940-2024)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• European University Institute (EUI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Migration Policy Centre is an integral part of the Robert Schuman Centre at the European University Institute. EUI provides institutional support, infrastructure, and academic framework for MPC's research activities.
• Horizon Europe INNOVATE Project ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe INNOVATE (Innovating to Enhance Dialogues on Migration Policies and Practices) project is a Horizon Europe initiative led by MPC with 12 institutional partners. The Co-Lab is powered by this project.
• UNICEF Europe and Central AsiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint partnership for the U-LEAD programme, a twelve-week youth-led initiative bringing together unaccompanied minors, young adults, Italian high-school students and academia to build leadership and civic participation.
• Local Stakeholders (Florence)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerU-LEAD was shaped through months of consultations with over 50 local stakeholders including reception centres, NGOs, and local government in Florence united by commitment to empower young people.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Migration Policy Institute (MPI): Migration Policy Institute is a leading international think tank producing data and policy analysis on migration. It is directly comparable to MPC as a migration-focused research institution serving policymakers, but operates at significantly larger scale with global reach and a US/European dual structure (MPI Europe).
• International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD): ICMPD is an intergovernmental organisation supporting migration management through dialogue, capacity building, and research. It is comparable to MPC because both produce migration policy research and training, though ICMPD operates as a Vienna-based IGO with member-state governance.
• International Organization for Migration (IOM): IOM is the leading intergovernmental organisation in the field of migration, with 175+ member states. It is comparable to MPC as a major producer of migration data, research, and policy expertise, but operates at vastly greater scale as a UN-related agency rather than a focused academic centre.

Others

• Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies (RSC), EUI: RSC is the parent centre of MPC within the European University Institute. It is a comparable institutional peer because both operate as EUI-based interdisciplinary research units producing policy-relevant research, though RSC has a broader thematic scope including economics, law, and political science beyond migration.
• Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS): CEPS is a leading Brussels-based think tank producing research on EU integration and policy. It is thematically comparable because migration is among its policy streams, but it competes more broadly across the EU policy agenda rather than specialising in migration as MPC does.
• European Policy Centre (EPC): EPC is a Brussels-based think tank producing EU policy analysis across multiple domains including migration. It is comparable as a European policy research institution engaging EU policymakers, but is broader in scope than MPC's singular migration focus.

Emerging players

• European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE): ECRE is a pan-European alliance of NGOs focused on asylum and refugee rights advocacy and policy. It is comparable because both produce evidence-based input to European asylum and migration policy, but ECRE's mandate is advocacy-driven whereas MPC's is academic research.

Direct peers

• Centre on Migration, Policy and Society (COMPAS), University of Oxford: COMPAS is an Oxford-based research centre producing interdisciplinary research on migration, mobility, and policy. It is a direct peer because it shares MPC's academic research model, interdisciplinary methodology, and policy advisory orientation toward migration governance.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MPC_EUI
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/MigrationPolicyCentre
• Facebookfacebook.com/MigrationPolicyCentre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/migration-policy-centre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Migration Policy Centre