Young Researchers Enhance Their Skills in Conducting Research on Religious Diversity and Migration

The COST Action COREnet Training school took place in Kaunas from 29 June to 3 July on the topic “Researching Migration and Religious Diversity: Theories, Methods and Practices”.

Fourteen PhD candidates and young researchers from eleven European countries and six lecturers from five European countries took part in the five-day event to learn more about the specificities, methods and theories of conducting research on religious diversity and migration.

The main objective of this Training school was to provide an opportunity for young researchers to deepen their knowledge in the field of migration and religious diversity and to learn how to apply it in practice-oriented research.

The five-day programme was full of interactive discussions, interesting lectures and workshops. One of the activities was a visit to the Jonava District Social Services Centre, where participants had the opportunity to interact with officials helping to integrate refugees and migrants into Lithuania, as well as with former Syrian refugees, most of whom have come to Europe by the dangerous sea route and who already have a permanent residence permit for Lithuania and the EU.

The international team of lecturers and guest speakers consisted of scholars with research interests in religious diversity and migration, religion, gender and politics, history of religion, psychology of migration and religion: Prof. Dr. Annette Leis-Peters (Norway), Dr. Olena Panych (Ukraine), Prof. Dr. Mar Griera (Spain), Prof. Dr. Halina Grzymala-Mosczynska (Poland), Prof. Dr. Milda Ališauskienė (Lithuania), Prof. Dr. Karolis Žibas (Lithuania) and Prof. Dr. Tuomas Martikainen (Finland).

This Training school took place at the Action’s Grant Holder institution, Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania).