FORUM INTERNAZIONALE ED EUROPEO DI RICERCHE SULL'IMMIGRAZIONE

Their core work

FIERI is a Turin-based research centre specialized in migration studies, refugee integration, and immigration policy analysis across Europe and the Mediterranean. They produce evidence-based research on how migration narratives shape public policy, how displaced populations build transnational networks, and how small towns and rural areas can successfully integrate newcomers. Their work directly informs EU asylum policy, humanitarian response strategies, and local governance approaches to immigrant inclusion.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

FIERI's early H2020 work (2016–2019) centred on macro-level policy evaluation — assessing EU asylum systems, Mediterranean geopolitics, and humanitarian frameworks for protracted refugee situations. From 2020 onward, their focus shifted decisively toward local-level integration: how small towns absorb newcomers, how communities build cohesion, and how migration narratives shape public acceptance. This evolution reflects a move from studying displacement as a crisis phenomenon toward understanding settlement and integration as long-term governance challenges.

FIERI is moving toward community-level integration research and narrative analysis, making them a strong partner for projects addressing social cohesion, rural revitalization through migration, or evidence-based communication strategies around immigration.

How they like to work

FIERI operates exclusively as a consortium partner or third party — they have never coordinated an H2020 project. They participate in mid-to-large consortia, having worked with 58 unique partners across 26 countries, indicating they are well-networked and adaptable across diverse research teams. Their consistent role as a specialist contributor suggests they bring deep domain expertise on migration research without seeking administrative leadership.

FIERI has built an extensive network of 58 consortium partners across 26 countries, spanning most of Europe, the Mediterranean, and beyond. Their geographic spread is unusually broad for an organization of their size, reflecting the inherently transnational nature of migration research.

What sets them apart

FIERI occupies a distinctive niche as an independent, non-university research centre focused entirely on immigration and integration — a specialization that makes them a go-to partner when EU consortia need deep migration expertise without the overhead of a large university department. Their Turin base places them at a key Mediterranean migration corridor, giving them proximity to both policy debates and lived realities of migration. Their trajectory from EU-level policy analysis to local community integration means they can connect macro policy frameworks with ground-level implementation evidence.

Highlights from their portfolio

• BRIDGES
  Their largest-funded project (EUR 350,661), focused on the timely and politically relevant topic of how migration narratives are produced and how they influence policymaking and public boundaries.
• TRAFIG
  A substantial project (EUR 260,250) studying transnational displacement connectivity — multi-sited research across multiple countries on how refugees build networks and self-reliance in protracted situations.
• CEASEVAL
  Directly evaluated the EU's Common European Asylum System under pressure, producing policy recommendations during the peak of European asylum reform debates.