The Migration Research Center at Koç University (MiReKoc), in partnership with the Boston University Center on Forced Displacement (BU CFD), will host the 2026 International Summer School, “Crossing Regions, Shaping Lives: African Migration Corridors in Global Perspective,” from 7-12 September 2026 in Istanbul.
The Summer School focuses on Africa and migration, bringing together historical, contemporary, and comparative perspectives on African migration dynamics through the analytical lens of migration corridors. Studying migration through the corridor concept highlights the spatial and institutional mechanics of movement. Africa’s varied geographies, evolving mobility regimes, and linkages to other world regions make it a vital empirical laboratory. This Summer School connects corridor analysis with interdisciplinary perspectives and mixed research methods. Interdisciplinary engagement will generate richer theoretical perspectives and stronger empirical insights.
Course Description
Africa has long been central to global mobility, from the transatlantic and trans-Saharan slave trades to contemporary migration systems shaped by colonial legacies, political economy, conflict, climate change, and globalization. Rather than viewing migration solely as movement between origin and destination countries, this Summer School frames mobility through migration corridors, which are structured spatial formations that connect regions through routes, infrastructures, governance regimes, and social networks. These corridors connect sites of departure, transit, and settlement, shaping how mobility is enabled, regulated, and experienced over time and space. Contemporary debates frequently center on African migration to Europe, particularly across the Mediterranean. Our corridor perspective, however, foregrounds the wider relational geographies of African mobility, including extensive intra‑African migration systems, Africa’s migratory connections with other world regions, and the globally dispersed African diasporas. Emigration, immigration, transit migration, return, and immobility emerge as interconnected processes within corridor formations rather than as discrete events.
The Summer School adopts an interdisciplinary and intersectional approach, examining how migration corridors are produced through historical trajectories, governance practices, infrastructures of mobility and control, and the lived experiences of migrants. Migration is addressed not only as cross-border movement but as a social, political, economic, and cultural process embedded in local, regional, and global structures.
Within this framework, the Summer School will cover the following subtopics:
- Migration corridors and networks
- Corridor-making processes and power relations
- Intra-African mobility regimes
- Africa-Middle East-Europe corridors
- South-South migration pathways
- Externalization policies and corridor management
- Borders and mobility control
- Humanitarian, development, and security interventions
- Transit, waiting, and temporality
- Migrant networks, corridor economies, and survival strategies
- Health and wellbeing along corridors
- Historical routes and mobility networks
- Diasporas, remittances, and transnational spaces
Our confirmed lecturers include, but are not limited to:
Oliver Bakewell, University of Manchester (Keynote Speaker)
Juliet Thondhlana, University of Nottingham
Muhammad Zaman, Boston University
Ahmet İçduygu, Koç University
Deniz Yükseker, Izmir University of Economics
Valerio Colosio, Social Sciences University of Ankara
Ayla Bonfiglio, Regional Head of Mixed Migration Center – Eastern and Southern Africa
Program Format
The program will include:
- Daily lectures
- Plenary sessions with keynote speakers
- Participant-led sessions for presenting research projects
- Social activities/field trips
- A certificate of participation
- 3 ECTS credits
- On demand, students will be provided with 3 ECTS credits. Additional requirements, including a research presentation and the submission of an original research paper of at least 7,000 words, will be required for participants seeking course credits.
The Summer School will offer a platform for critical discussion, methodological exchange, and networking with experts in African and comparative migration studies.
Who Can Apply?
The program is designed for graduate students and PhD candidates, early-career researchers, policy analysts, NGO and international organization practitioners, and junior professionals working on migration, Africa, and related fields. It aims not only to deepen participants’ knowledge but also to foster meaningful exchange and networking with distinguished faculty, supporting the development of research agendas and professional collaboration. Applications from all regions of the world are encouraged.
Eligibility criteria include:
- A relevant academic degree or equivalent professional experience
- Excellent working knowledge of English (spoken and written)
- Complete submission of the application form and all required supporting documents
Travel
Participants are responsible for arranging and covering the costs of their travel to and from Istanbul, as well as local transportation within Istanbul, including travel to Koç University.
Tuition
The full program fee is 1250 Euros. The fee covers course materials, social activities, field trips, on-campus accommodation, two meals per day (breakfast and lunch), and coffee breaks on lecture days.
The full program fee without on-campus accommodation is 900 Euros. Participants selecting this option are expected to arrange their own housing. Full scholarships are not available.
Scholarships
A 30% tuition reduction is available for students affiliated with institutions in the IMISCOE network, UNIC universities, and EuroMedMig.
Up to 30% tuition reduction may be granted to selected applicants from low- and middle-income countries.* Applicants requesting a reduction must indicate this in their motivation letter and briefly explain their financial constraints. As this is a non-profit program, tuition reductions are awarded based on available funds following the completion of the application review process. Reductions are not intended for applicants who can receive funding from their home institutions; applicants should document the unavailability of such funding.
Additional scholarships can be offered to applicants from Türkiye. Please indicate your request in your motivation letter.
* Based on World Bank country classifications: https://data.worldbank.org/income-level/low-and-middle-income?view=chart
How to Apply?
Please complete the application form (at https://forms.gle/Ky1eUEbRKChHKxzq8) and submit the following documents as a single PDF file to
- Current résumé or CV
- Proof of English proficiency (one of the following): TOEFL and/or IELTS scores; BA, MA, or PhD diploma from an institution where the language of instruction is English; Official letter confirming English as the language of instruction; Academic publication or thesis written in English.
- One reference letter from an employer or academic supervisor: It can be submitted by the applicant or separately emailed by the referee
- Written work sample: It can include published or unpublished article, book chapter, thesis chapter, or report, preferably related to migration, if available
- Statement of purpose/motivation letter: A paragraph explaining how you will benefit from the summer school, including your specific academic or professional development needs (e.g., publishing, methods training, collaboration, career development)
- For Discussion Sessions (participant research presentations), please also include a document (1-2 pages) including the following:
- Academic information: Institutional affiliation; Main field(s) of study; Name(s) of supervisor(s); Current stage of MA/PhD research.
- Research summary: Provide a description of your dissertation or ongoing research, including: Title and research question; Theoretical framework; Research design and data; Preliminary findings (if available); References; Contribution to the field.
Important Dates
Application deadline: 26 June 2026 (extended deadline)
Announcement of results: 10 July 2026
Deadline for participation confirmation: 20 July 2026
For further inquiries, please contact the Summer School Team at