Global Migration Institute Inaugural Conference: Key Moments and Takeaways

This April we had the privilege of hosting the inaugural conference of the Global Migration Institute at Toronto Metropolitan University: Rethinking Complex Migration: Flows, Frames and Futures. More than just a gathering, the event marked a milestone moment: the official launch of the Global Migration Institute and a new chapter in migration research at TMU.

Ahead of the main conference, participants took part in two in-depth workshops designed to dig deeper into key themes. Tuba Bircan (Vrije Universiteit Brussel) led a session on big data and migration research, exploring emerging data infrastructures and analytical possibilities. In parallel, Alka Kumar and Lara El Mekaui (Toronto Metropolitan University) facilitated a workshop on creative and participatory research methods. Together, these sessions offered space for hands-on learning, exchange, and critical reflection.

We then officially kicked things off with a timely and thought-provoking panel: The State (and Future) of Migration in Canada Amidst Global Conflict. Moderated by broadcast journalist and media consultant Ginella Massa, the conversation brought together Pedro Antunes (Signal49 Research), Andrew Parkin (Environics Institute), Anna Triandafyllidou (Toronto Metropolitan University), and Teresa Woo-Paw (Canadian Race Relations Foundation). Together, they offered a candid and nuanced look at how Canada arrived at this moment, and where it needs to go next.

The overarching message from all four panelists was clear: policy that swings on politics rather than evidence erodes public trust. Canada's long-term identity and economic health depend on immigration, but the system needs integrity, consistency, and an honest integration agenda to sustain it.

The evening also marked the premiere of our new Global Migration Institute video - a first look at the vision behind the Institute and the community it aims to build. Designed to reflect both the urgency and possibility of this moment in migration, the video set the tone for the days ahead and the work to come.

Day two opened with warm welcomes from Martha Munezhi (Bridging Divides, TMU), Michelle Chrétien (Assistant Vice-President, Research Partnerships and Commercialization), and Zhixi Zhuang (Associate Director for Education and Capacity Building, Global Migration Institute), who set the tone with words that resonated throughout the room: "Our institute banner says it plainly: a home for migration research. That line is not a slogan. It is a history reflecting our past, and it is a promise for our future."

“Migration is reshaping our cities, our labour markets, our classrooms, our communities, and our politics,” says Zhuang. “A home for migration research means a place where scholars, policymakers, and communities can share this space, think together, debate meaningfully, and act on what we learn together.”

Over the course of the conference, participants engaged in a series of dialogue sessions, parallel panels, and roundtable discussions that brought together diverse perspectives from across sectors. The result was a rich exchange of ideas and a clear sense that the conversations sparked here will continue well beyond the event itself.

Thank you to everyone who joined us from near and far for this inaugural gathering. We look forward to building on this momentum as the Global Migration Institute continues to grow.