Structural Variations Among Research Centres
The International Institute for Migration and Development (IIMAD) is structurally different from the other three partners. This difference creates some unique opportunities and challenges.
Unlike the other centres, IIMAD is an independent think tank and non-profit organization, not based at a university or funded by the provincial/state or federal/national government. It was established four years ago but became actively engaged in migration research about two years ago when Rajan joined it full time as a Chair, after his retirement from Centre for Development Studies (following the submission of the DemiKnow project proposal), which was jointly funded by the governments of Kerala and the Central Government.
Researchers at IIMAD work for specific projects and their employment depends on the projects’ budget. Research centres that provide further training to recent PhD graduates before they can get long-term employment in universities are common in Europe and other regions. They provide a dynamic and flexible if not a secure environment for researchers to build their research profiles. The fact though that these are uncommon in Canada created some problems in our project.
IIMAD’s operational expenses are met by private donations (including from the Indian diaspora) and project overheads – including contracts to teach various courses in universities and colleges – rather than by student fees or public funds. It does not offer degrees or diplomas but opportunities for young people to gain research experience, establish networks, and enhance their academic credibility by publishing with senior researchers (which is not a common practice in India). Young researchers usually seek affiliation with the centre after they have completed their master’s program and are planning to apply for a doctoral program, especially in universities in the Global North.
Because IIMAD was not formally affiliated with any university it can be challenging for it to receive research grants, particularly from outside the country. Indian universities (and other research organizations) have to be formally approved by the Central government to receive funds from extra-national sources. This approval is given after a credible record of research is already established, which takes at least three years. Canadian research granting councils are publicly funded entities and directly fund only Canadian scholars. They require that money transferred to researchers in other countries, collaborating with Canadian scholars, to only be channeled through approved universities. Rajan therefore had to seek affiliation with a university approved by both Canadian and Indian authorities to receive the research funds. He had an affiliation with Kannur University as honorary Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences (in Kerala, but about an hour away by air) and utilized this connection to receive funds for DemiKnow. His reputation as a leading migration scholar and his networks in academic circles helped him negotiate with Kannur University.
