CERC Migration Winter School Equips Next Generation of Migration Researchers
Marshia Akbar, Director, BMO Newcomer Workforce Integration Lab, instructs the Winter School cohort on design, recruitment, and conducting qualitative interviewing.
From November 3–7, CERC Migration hosted the second cohort of its Winter School, welcoming early-career researchers from across the globe for an intensive week of learning, collaboration, and hands-on experience in Toronto.
Designed to strengthen qualitative research skills in migration studies, the Winter School combines in-depth classroom instruction with immersive community engagement, offering participants a rich blend of theory and practical application.
Throughout the week, participants learned about qualitative research methods under the guidance of leading researchers and industry practitioners. Workshops and discussions focused on ethnography, interviewing, participatory approaches, knowledge mobilization, and ethical considerations in migration research, equipping participants with tools to conduct rigorous research.
“Teaching the Tableau component of the CERC Migration Winter School was a rewarding experience,” said Stein Monteiro, Winter School Instructor and Lead Research Associate, Immigration, Conference Board of Canada. “Participants were highly engaged, eager to learn, and brought strong ideas to the session. They quickly connected the visualization techniques to their own research questions and identified concrete ways to advance their projects. Supporting emerging scholars in developing these skills is important, and this cohort showed a readiness to apply them in meaningful ways.”
Networking programming allowed for students to connect and learn from each other.
The Neighbourhood Organization hosted the Winter School cohort for a day of workshops on settlement services in the Toronto community.
Community engagement remained a cornerstone of the Winter School experience. Participants visited a local settlement services non-profit organization, The Neighbourhood Organization (TNO), gaining firsthand insights that enhanced their academic understanding and connected research to real-world impact.
“Coming from a quantitative research background, the Winter School was an eye-opening introduction to qualitative methods and their role in understanding migration and integration, shared Devaanshi Khanzode, CERC Migration Researcher and Winter School participant. “I gained hands-on experience with interviewing techniques, data analysis in NVivo, and visualizing qualitative insights in Tableau which are skills that have made me a more well-rounded researcher. A memorable moment was our visit to The Neighbourhood Organization, where conversations about ethics and community engagement reinforced the importance of collaboration and trust in producing meaningful research.”
We extend our sincere thanks to all participants, speakers, and community partners who made this second Winter School a success. With each session, we continue to strengthen a global network of migration scholars, fostering collaboration, skill-building, and shared learning for years to come.
