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Integration Mapping of Refugee and Migrant Children in Schools and other Experiential Environments in Europe

This four year multi-partner H2020 project will explore the integration of refugee and migrant children in primary and secondary schools, based on quantitative and qualitative research with young people, teachers and key policy stakeholders. IMMERSE aims to enhance the socio-educative inclusion of all refugee and migrant children through the generation of new data and policy recommendations. A dashboard of socioeducational indicators on inclusion will be developed as one of the key outputs of the project.

Aims and objectives

The IMMERSE project sets out to:

  • develop new socio-educational indicators of integration and map the integration of migrant and refugee children in education in Europe. 
  • develop a set of recommendations on the integration of refugees and migrant children in Europe.
Project implementation
  • The project will involve children and key stakeholders to identify the key parameters related to intercultural competences, wellbeing and gender affecting children’s integration and will co-create a new dashboard of social and educational integration indicators.
  • A database and an App will be developed within the project, IMMERSE researchers will collect and monitor data related to those indicators from children age 6-18 years old children in 6 European countries (Belgium, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy and Spain).
  • In addition, best practices of integration at local level will be identified through the process and its advancement and replication will be promoted.

The IMMERSE project is coordinated by Professor Mercedes Fernandez, Comillas University, Madrid. UCC is one of 11 European partners including Save the Children Italy; Panteion University of Social and Political Studies, Greece and DOZ International in Germany. Further information can be found on the IMMERSE consortium website: https://www.immerse-h2020.eu/.

Project Outputs

Martin, S., Horgan, D., & Looney, E. (2025) Migrant parents’ school involvement: extent, barriers and opportunities. Educational Research, 67 (3), 385–405. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2025.2529240 

Ordóñez-Carabaño, Á., Rodríguez-Ventosa Herrera, E., Muñoz-San Roque, I., & Horgan, D. (2025).   Intercultural values at school and children’s sense of belonging: IMMERSE project results.   International Journal of Educational Research, 134, 102846.   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2025.102846
Horgan, D., Martin, S., O’Riordan, J., Maier, R., & The IMMERSE Children (2025).   Migrant children as co-constructors and advisors in research. In   The Oxford Handbook of Child-Centered Approaches to Migrant Children (pp. 187–206). Oxford University Press.   https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197654750.013.19

Martin, S. Horgan, D. and Maier, R. (2024) 'Children and young people as research collaborators in a large-scale migration research project'. Open Research Europe, 4 (174):1-13.

Martin, S., Horgan, D., O’Riordan, J. & Maier, R. (2023) 'Refugee and migrant children’s views of integration and belonging in school in Ireland – and the role of micro- and meso-level interactions', International Journal of Inclusive Education. DOI: 10.1080/13603116.2023.2222304

Martin, S. Horgan, D. Maier, R. and O’Riordan, J. (2023) 'Parental and professional perspectives on educational integration of migrant and refugee children in Ireland – Shirley Martin, Deirdre' In: Sobczak-Szelc, K. Pachocka, M. and Szałańska, J (eds). The Integration of Refugees in the Education and Labour Markets Between Inclusion and Exclusion Practices. London: Routledge.

Martin, S., Maier, R., O'Riordan, J., Horgan, D., Serrano Sanguilinda, I., Bajo Marcos, E., Rodríguez-Ventosa Herrera, E., & Ordóñez Carabaño, Á. (2023) IMMERSE Analysis Reports After Carrying Out the Research Across Countries in Schools and Other Learning Environments. IMMERSE, Madrid.

Marouda, M., Koutsouraki, E., Martin, S., Horgan, D., O'Riordan, J., & Serrano Sanguilinda, I. (2023) IMMERSE - Analysis Reports After Carrying Out the Research Across Countries in Reception Centres and Other Experiential. IMMERSE, Madrid.

Jacqui O'Riordan, Shirley Martin , Deirdre Horgan and Reana Maier (2023) National Recommendation Papers on Refugee and Migrant Children integration: Ireland. IMMERSE, Madrid.

Martin, S., Maier, R., O'Riordan, J., Horgan, D., Serrano Sanguilinda, I., Bajo Marcos, E., Rodríguez-Ventosa Herrera, E., & Ordóñez Carabaño, Á. (2023) IMMERSE Final Analysis Report After Carrying Out the Research. IMMERSE, Madrid.

Horgan, D., Martin, S., O’Riordan, J. & Maier, R. (2021) ‘Supporting languages: The socio-educational integration of migrant and refugee children and young people’,  Children & Society  https://doi.org/10.1111/chso.12525
 
Horgan, Deirdre; Martin, Shirley (2021) 'Children's research advisory groups: Moving from adult-research agendas to co-creation with children' In: Deirdre Horgan and Danielle Keenan (eds).   Child and Youth Participation in Policy, Practice and Research . London: Routledge.

Martin, S., O’Riordan, J., Horgan, D., Maier, R., Marouda, M.D., Koutsouraki, E. and Farakouki, L. (2021) Report on Psycho-social and Wellbeing of Refugee and Migrant Children. IMMERSE Working Paper 3.

Conference Presentations:
Horgan, D., & Martin, S. (2025, November 18).   IMMERSE: Identifying and measuring socio-educational indicators of integration for migrant and refugee children in Europe [Conference presentation].   Department of Education and Youth Education Research Summit, Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland.
Sanguilinda, I. S., Martin, S., & Marcos, E. B. (2025).   Migrant children and institutional trust: The role of generational differences and time in host country on children’s trust in societal institutions [Conference paper].   21st IMISCOE Annual Conference, Portugal.
Horgan, D., & Martin, S. (2025, April 10–12).   Promoting equality and integration for migrant children through parental involvement in schools: Findings from the IMMERSE project [Conference presentation].   Educational Studies Association of Ireland (ESAI) Annual Conference, Athlone, Ireland.
Martin, S. (2025).   Migrant children’s experiences of inclusion and integration in schools: The importance of the relational [Summer school presentation].   MiReKoc–UNIC Summer School, MiReKoc Migration Institute, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Martin, S., Horgan, D., Fernández, M., & Rodríguez-Ventosa Herrera, E. (2025, April 1–2).   Peer friendships and social support: Insights into socio-educational integration and inclusion of migrant children from the IMMERSE project [Conference abstract].   Friendship – Continuities and Social Change Workshop, Centre for Research on Families and Relationships (CRFR), University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
Martin, S., Horgan, D., & Looney, E. (2025, June 5–6).   Advancing equality and integration for migrant children through parental involvement in schools: Findings from the IMMERSE project [Conference presentation].   Migration, Placemaking, Belonging Conference, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Martin, S., & O’Riordan, J. (2024, March 7–8).   Insights from IMMERSE best practices: Potential and challenges in supporting integration of migrant children in education in Ireland [Conference abstract].   Racism, Anti-Racism and Forced Migration in Ireland Conference, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland.
Martin, S., & Raissian, C. (2024, March 6).   The right to health for migrant and refugee children in Ireland: A child rights-based approach [Workshop presentation].   Migrant and Refugee Health from a Human Rights-Based Approach in Ireland & Northern Ireland Workshop, School of Law, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast, United Kingdom.

Martin, S. Horgan, D. and Looney, E. (2024) Promoting Equality and Integration for Migrant Children through Parental Involvement in Schools: Findings from the IMMERSE Project. [Oral Presentation], UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre 11th Biennial International Conference, University College Galway, Ireland. June 2024.

Shirley Martin, Inma Serrano and Eva Bajo Marcos (2024) Migrant Children and Institutional Trust: The role of generational differences and time in host country on children’s trust in societal institutions. [Oral Presentation], 21st IMISCOE Annual Conference, Hybrid/Lisbon. July 2024

IMMERSE Conference (15 September, 2023) This conference presented the findings from the Irish component of the IMMERSE project. 

Martin, S., Moynihan, F., & Champion School of Sanctuary Representatives. (2023).   Supporting the integration and inclusion of refugee and migrant children in schools: Evidence and practice [Panel presentation].   UCC Refugee Week Panel, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Martin, S. (2023, November 23).   IMMERSE: Integration mapping of refugee and migrant children in Europe [Invited talk].   European Migration Network (EMN) Luxembourg National Conference: Children in Migration – Access to Education, Luxembourg.

Shirley Martin (2023) Migrant Children’s experience of inclusion and integration in schools In Ireland: the importance of the relational, Migration and Societal Change Conference, Utrecht University , 21-JUN-23 - 22-JUN-23

Shirley Martin, Reana Maier, Deirdre Horgan, Jacqui O’Riordan (2022) IMMERSE children and young people's advisory group: Co-constructors and advisors. [Oral Presentation],  Child Migration And Integration. Trends & Challenges , Ljubljana, Slovenia , 02-JUN-22 - 04-JUN-22.
 
Horgan, D. O'Riordan, J. Maeir, R. & Martin, S. (2021) Immerse H2020 socio-educational integration of Migrant Children in Education, Research findings from Phase 1 of the study. [Oral Presentation], Society for the History of Children and Youth XI Biennial International Conference, Galway, Ireland , 23-JUN-21 - 25-JUN-21
 
Deirdre Horgan, Reana Maier, Jacqui O'Riordan and Shirley Martin (2021) The role of Education in breaking down borders and building inclusive societies for migrant children. [Oral Presentation], Contemporary Childhood Conference, online , 06-SEP-21 - 09-SEP-21.
 
Maeir, R. Horgan, D. O'Riordan, J. & Martin, S. (2021) International Migration Research Network Europe. [Oral Presentation], 18th IMISCOE Annual Conference, Luxembourg (online) , 07-JUL-21 - 09-JUL-21.
 
Reana Maier, Deirdre Horgan, Jacqui O'Riordan, Shirley Martin (2020) Mapping the Integration of Migrant and Refugee Children: Co-creating Indicators of Integration. [Oral Presentation], Educational Studies Association of Ireland (ESAI) Conference 2020, Online 
 
Martin, S. and O’Riordan, J. Horgan, D. and Maier, R. (2019) IMMERSE: Mapping the Educational Integration of Migrant and Refugee Children in Europe: Co-creating Indicators of Integration. [Invited Lectures (Conference)], RESPOND Conference: Unpacking the challenges and possibilities for migration governance, Newham College, University of Cambridge , 17-OCT-19 - 19-OCT-19.
Child Friendly Outputs
Martin, S. (2023).   IMMERSE Child Friendly Video.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq0BV49VI3s&t=3s
Martin, S., Horgan, D., & O'Riordan, J. (2023).  IMMERSE Children and Young People's Report. 

 

IMMERSE Webinar Series: 'Supporting Migrant Children’s Educational Access and Participation'. This webinar series offers an opportunity to showcase national and international best practices identified by the Irish Research Team, and provides an opportunity to share the learning and insights gleaned through them. 

Recordings are available at the following links:

Project Funder & Duration

IMMERSE is funded by Horizon 2020 from 2018-2023.

Project team

Dr. Shirley Martin (PI); Dr. Deirdre Horgan; Dr. Jacqui O'Riordan; Dr Reana Maier (Post-doctoral researcher)

 

Institute for Social Science in the 21st Century (ISS21)

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