New Research Institute

On June 8, 2026, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business officially opened its new Research Institute for Migration and Forced Displacement Management (FORM), led by Judith Kohlenberger and Katharina Miko-Schefzig, in a ceremony attended by distinguished guests. Academics, policy-makers, and business leaders discussed the challenges and opportunities of migration and integration, and the role evidence-based research plays in this field, which is crucially important to the future course of our society.

The event opened with welcoming remarks from Austria’s Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner, and Federal Minister of Women, Science, and Research Eva-Maria Holzleitner. They all emphasized the importance of academic expertise in shaping a forward-looking migration and integration policy.

The event centered around a keynote address by Naika Foroutan, professor of integration research and social policy at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and director of the German Center for Integration and Migration Research (DeZIM), one of FORM’s partner institutions. Entitled “Migrant Gold?! On the Mismatch Between Migration Needs and Resistance to Migration and the Role of Migration Research in Polarized Times,” Professor Foroutan’s keynote offered a nuanced perspective on current debates regarding migration, integration, and demographic change. Her remarks encouraged attendees to view migration not solely through an economic lens but also to understand it within the context of the global competition for talent and skilled workers.

Following the keynote, Johannes Kopf (AMS), Silvia Angelo (ÖBB), WU professor and FORM-affiliated researcher Gabriel Felbermayr (WIFO), and Gertrude Schatzdorfer-Wölfel (Schatzdorfer Gerätebau) discussed the challenges and opportunities of migration and integration for Austria as a business and talent hub and for the Austrian job market. It became clear just how closely issues related to the labor market, the race for skilled talent, and social participation are connected to each other.

WU Rector Rupert Sausgruber emphasized that addressing current societal challenges through research was one of his university’s special responsibilities. “As a business and economics university, we actively address societal challenges. Through interdisciplinary, independent, and evidence-based analyses, the Research Institute for Migration and Forced Displacement Management will make important contributions to contextualizing complex issues and strengthening the dialogue between academia, policy-making, and society,” Rector Sausgruber said.

Federal Minister Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer (Economy, Energy and Tourism) applauded the establishment of the new research institute as well, congratulating WU on this important step. Migration, he noted, is among the central socio-political challenges of our time. At the same time, he highlighted the strong demand for skilled immigration and the importance of education and training to people from abroad who have made Austria their home.

About FORM

FORM’s mission is to address current issues surrounding forced displacement and migration, analyze complex social discourses, and nurture an evidence-based dialogue between academia, policymakers, government, businesses, and civil society. The institute is an academic institution with a clear focus on human rights, fundamental rights, and civil liberties. It closely combines research, teaching, and the transfer of knowledge to society to provide well-founded analyses and contribute to building a diverse society.