How religious and cultural diversity impacts the integration of refugees in European societies? STSM findings

COST Action COREnet members Assistant Professor Dr. Violeta Marković and PhD Candidate Dijana Janković from the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Political Sciences, Serbia, visited Prof. Dr. Annette Leis Peters at VID Specialized University, Oslo, Norway, for their Short-Term Scientific Mission (STSM), funded by COREnet.

This STSM explored how religious and cultural diversity impacts the integration of refugees in European societies. The primary objective was to conduct a scoping review of academic literature on refugee integration, with a focus on how religious and cultural factors are understood, addressed, or overlooked. In addition to mapping existing research, the STSM included direct consultation with scholars and practitioners working in the field to better understand how theory connects to practical challenges on the ground.

The topic is relevant for researchers, NGOs, policy actors, and institutions involved in refugee reception and integration. In today’s context of continuous migration across Europe, developing inclusive and informed approaches to integration is more important than ever. By identifying academic work that bridges the experiences of refugees between transit and destination countries, the aim was to contribute to more informed and inclusive integration strategies.

Through engagement with Prof. Dr. Annette Leis-Peters and experts at VID Specialized University and the organization of an open workshop, the initiative not only advanced the literature review but also fostered cross-national and interdisciplinary exchange, creating space for future collaboration and mutual learning.

The STSM led to the identification of 50 relevant academic publications through a systematic scoping review using PRISMA methodology. These sources address different aspects of refugee integration and will serve as the basis for a scientific paper currently in development. The results reflect growing awareness of how cultural and religious dimensions shape integration outcomes, but also highlight significant gaps, especially regarding the role of civil society and the everyday experiences of refugees.

A key outcome was the successful organization of a hybrid workshop titled “Gallery Walk: Refugee Integration Through the Lens of Religious and Cultural Diversity: Challenges and Solutions”, with participants from Norway, Sweden, Croatia, and Serbia. The event encouraged cross-sectoral dialogue between researchers and practitioners, helping to contextualize the preliminary literature findings and identify areas for further inquiry.

Additionally, a lecture titled “Marching Minds – Youth Movements, Academic Solidarity and the Fight for Democracy in Serbia” illuminated the role of student-led movements and the academic community in ongoing democratic struggles in Serbia, and sparked engaged discussion among participants. This event provided an opportunity to share current developments from Serbia, highlight the intersections between youth activism, the University, and civic engagement, and emphasize the importance of academic dialogue across national contexts.

What is a Short-Term Scientific Mission (STSM) within COREnet?

A Short-Term Scientific Mission, funded by the COST Action COREnet, consists of a visit to a host organization located in a different country to the country of affiliation of a Researcher in order to carry out specific work as part of a research project. In addition to research purposes, Short Term Scientific Missions (STSMs) are aimed to support researchers’ individual mobility, to strengthen existing networks and to foster collaboration between individuals. The purpose of a STSM is thus to gain new partnerships, to learn new techniques and to gain access to specific data, instruments and/or methods not available in their own institutions/organizations.