The Horizon 2020 project PERCEPTIONS examines imaginations and (mis)perceptions about the EU held outside Europe and the way they influence migration decisions. It further aims to understand how such perceptions are distributed via various channels, how the flow of information could be distorted and whether inaccurate information could lead to a threat to the security of migrants (e.g. through dangerous border crossings) or even national security (e.g. radicalisation). The main objectives of the three-year project are to (a) identify narratives, images and perceptions of Europe abroad, (b) investigate how different narratives could lead to unrealistic expectations, problems and security threats for host societies as well as migrants and in what way; and (c) create toolkits using creative and innovative measures to react or even counteract them, considering social, societal and structural aspects.
The PERCEPTIONS project involves 25 partners in 15 countries. These countries include three nonEuropean countries of migrants’ transit (Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia), and four Mediterranean countries of arrival (Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Spain), as well as two countries of transit to Europe (Bulgaria and Kosovo), representing three routes into Europe (Western, Central, and Eastern Mediterranean). The research is further focused on countries of destination including Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, and the UK.
The developed tools and services during PERCEPTIONS lifecycle will be tested, evaluated, and validated in WP7 tasks and activities, in which the i3 unit is mainly involved.
A specific iterative methodology will be used across the relevant tasks of WP7, which will be diversified based on the needs of each task as well as the actual content of the “components” that will be evaluated and validated (content-based, technical-based, etc.). Specific reports and debriefings will be also developed, that will be adopted after the end of each test cycle, to make the whole procedure more thorough and robust, while examples of the tools and questionnaires, along with some proposed evaluation metrics will be developed, reviewed, and adapted to fulfil the objectives of the project.
Giulia Deppieri
Nadia Mana
Consortium members:
- SYNYO GmbH (SYNYO), Austria
- Sheffield Hallam University (CENTRIC), UK
- Alma Mater Studiorum Universita di Bologna (UNIBO), Italy
- University of Granada (UGR), Spain
- University Rey Juan Carlos (URJC), Spain
- University of Northumbria at Newcastle (UNN), UK
- Swansea University (SU), UK
- University of Rome La Sapienza (SAPIENZA), Italy
- Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR), Netherlands
- University of Antwerp (UANTWERPEN), Belgium
- International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), Austria
- Kentro Meleton Asfaleias – Center for Security Studies (KEMEA), Greece
- Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD), Bulgaria
- SINUS Markt- und Sozialforschung GmbH (SINUS), Germany
- Centre de Recherche en Economie Appliquée pour le Developpement (CREAD), Alger
- Egyptian Center for Innovation and Technology Development (ECITD), Egypt
- ADITESS Advanced Integrated Technology Solutions & Services LTD (ADITESS), Cyprus
- Association of Local Democracy Agencies (ALDA),
- France Kosovar Centre for Security Studies (KCSS), Kosovo
- Euro-Arab Foundation for Higher Studies (FUNDEA), Spain
- Koinonia Caritas Cyprus (CARITAS), Cyprus
- Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK), Italy
- Hellenic Police (HP), Greece
- Ministry of Public Security – Israel
- National Police (MOPS-INP), Israel
- Ministry of Interior – Chief Directorate Border Police (CDBP), Bulgaria
