Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 18 minutes ago
What can research tell us about return migration — and how can it help close the gap between policy and lived experience?
This final video from the GAPs Return Migration Project brings together voices, insights, and reflections from across the project’s work on return and reintegration. Drawing on research conducted in multiple contexts, it highlights the complexities of return migration and the challenges faced by people navigating return processes shaped by policy, politics, and practice.
The video reflects on what it takes to move beyond simplified assumptions about “return” and instead work towards approaches that are more realistic, fair, and grounded in lived realities. It looks back at five key learnings from the project and looks ahead to how research can contribute to more informed and humane return policies.
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These videos have been produced under a contract with the EU’s Horizon Europe Research Program (HORIZON-CL2-2022-TRANSFORMATIONS-01-09, Project Reference GAPs 101094341), financed by the European Union’s budget.
The opinions expressed are those of the contractor and do not necessarily represent the contracting authority’s official position.
Please visit migrationmatters.me to learn more about our work and subscribe to our courses.
You are free (and encouraged!) to embed this video and use it for any non-commercial purposes: CC BY-NC 4.0
Produced by: Migration Matters e.V. 2026
Editorial & production: Bernadette Klausberger, Sophia Burton
Edited by: Karoline Schulz
Graphic and Motion Design by: Liv Bustorff & Paula Bambach
Music: Hippo (MF-198, Musicfox)
Archive pictures courtesy of Reuters
What can research tell us about return migration — and how can it help close the gap between policy and lived experience?
This final video from the GAPs Return Migration Project brings together voices, insights, and reflections from across the project’s work on return and reintegration. Drawing on research conducted in multiple contexts, it highlights the complexities of return migration and the challenges faced by people navigating return processes shaped by policy, politics, and practice.
The video reflects on what it takes to move beyond simplified assumptions about “return” and instead work towards approaches that are more realistic, fair, and grounded in lived realities. It looks back at five key learnings from the project and looks ahead to how research can contribute to more informed and humane return policies.
******
These videos have been produced under a contract with the EU’s Horizon Europe Research Program (HORIZON-CL2-2022-TRANSFORMATIONS-01-09, Project Reference GAPs 101094341), financed by the European Union’s budget.
The opinions expressed are those of the contractor and do not necessarily represent the contracting authority’s official position.
Please visit migrationmatters.me to learn more about our work and subscribe to our courses.
You are free (and encouraged!) to embed this video and use it for any non-commercial purposes: CC BY-NC 4.0
Produced by: Migration Matters e.V. 2026
Editorial & production: Bernadette Klausberger, Sophia Burton
Edited by: Karoline Schulz
Graphic and Motion Design by: Liv Bustorff & Paula Bambach
Music: Hippo (MF-198, Musicfox)
Archive pictures courtesy of Reuters
