Migration Management Diploma Programme (MMDP)

The Migration Management Diploma Programme (MMDP) is a capacity-building programme that has been offered by UNU-MERIT since 2013. This programme is designed for government officials working in migration and asylum. It is also open to other practitioners and students interested in managing migration and asylum policies. Running for three months full-time, the course uses various teaching and evaluation methods, including lectures and interactive sessions with participants. Special attention is paid to hands-on practical exercises, notably the Problem Based Learning (PBL) method.

The MMDP aims to develop theoretical knowledge on migration management and practical skills such as articulation and presenting; how to write briefs, policy notes and memoranda; how to formulate evidence-based policy; and how to work in a group and deal with conflicting interests. In the scenario-building sessions, participants create migration scenarios for their own countries, which have proven to help significantly form policies within their institutions. Overall, the course equips participants with a range of new skills and insights, as well as practical and interactive experiences of how to apply the latest knowledge in the field of migration management.

Moreover, MMDP aims to provide a platform for networking through field trips across Europe, including a tour of Dutch Ministries in The Hague, EU institutions in Brussels, and UN and other intergovernmental agencies in Geneva. This experience also gives participants insights into national, regional, and international realities of migration management from the perspectives of various respective institutions.

This MMDP is made up of three courses: i. Migration Management and Protection, ii. Migration and Development, and iii. Migration Policy. Each course runs for four weeks and comprises various modules related to the course topic, including Introduction to Migration Data; International Migration Law; Enhancing Migration for Development; Labour Migration Management; Diaspora Engagement; and Policy Coherence and Global Migration Governance.

Each of the three main courses is deliberately broken down into four one-week blocks, making the learning process both structured and digestible. To ensure the programme’s quality, there is a full-time commitment requirement of 40 hours per week from participants – including contact hours and self-preparation – with particular attention paid to interactive exercises and practical workshops.

In the past, participants of MMDP have either self-funded their studies or have received a scholarship from donors such as the EU, the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  Participants originate from various countries and regions worldwide, including the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Europe.

Application deadlines and important dates for this academic year (2023-24)

The call for scholarships to participate in the Migration Management Diploma Programme (MMDP) 2024 cohort is now open. Applications from professionals and civil servants who are working in the area of migration management are being accepted, and the application deadline is 27^th October 2023 at 23:59 CET.

The candidate selection will be finalised and successful applicants for the MMDP will be notified by mid-November 2023.

The MMDP 2024 cohort will run from 2 April 2024 until 21 June 2024 and will take place in Maastricht, the Netherlands.

To apply to the MMDP, applications need to be submitted via our online platform here.

The MMDP is a capacity-building programme funded by the European Union (EU) through the Migration Partnership Facility (MPF) of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD). The programme is addressed to civil servants and policy practitioners working in migration management in the countries of the EU Neighbourhood, Eastern Partnership, Africa, Western Balkans and South Asia.