NRF 2023 Academic Symposium

To mark the closing stages of the 2022-2023 CAPRS NRF Fellowship, and to support Fellows to finalise their papers, CAPRS in partnership with the Kaldor Centre at the University of New South Wales in Australia hosted a Symposium entitled "Meeting the ‘Dual Imperative’: Working towards solutions for displacement in the Asia Pacific through policy-oriented research".

Research in refugee and forced migration studies has often been characterised by a ‘dual imperative’ whereby researchers seek to be both academically rigorous while at the same time relevant to policymakers and displaced communities. Yet, what are the practical steps researchers can take to meet this dual imperative and more strategically translate their research into policy and practice? And what are the implications of this policy-oriented focus for research related to refugees and displacement?

Held on 27-28 April, this symposium offered an opportunity to examine these questions with a focus on research that seeks to address displacement in the Asia Pacific. The symposium also showcased research findings and policy recommendations of scholars working on protection issues in the region and prompted discussion as to how this research can go beyond the realm of academia and engage in and influence policy and practice. The focus on the Asia Pacific is significant given the limited availability of solutions for displaced populations and the increasing number of people experiencing protracted displacement in the region.