Egypt: Designing Research with Urban Displaced Populations in MENA Region

This course is intended for practitioners from national governments, international inter-governmental organizations (IGOs), and national and inter-national non-governmental organizations (NGOs), working with migrants and refugees in urban settings. It is also for junior researchers, undergraduates and post-graduates in social sciences working on topics related to migrants and refugees.

The course will provide essential tools and techniques needed to conduct research and needs-assessments with displaced populations. It will help participants:

· Identify the appropriate research methods for their target groups and subject matter.

· Select the appropriate sample frame/s and sampling techniques.

· Create research tools to reflect the aims and objectives of the research.

· Consider the contextual limitations and challenges in conducting research with migrants and refugees.

· Understand the ethical considerations vis-à-vis interaction with respondents.

The course will cover mixed research methods with an emphasis on qualitative techniques namely: Focus Group Discussions, Semi-Structured Interviews, in-depth interviews and ethnographies. It will lay out the pros and cons of the different methods and sampling techniques. It will discuss in-depth the implications of reflexivity on the data collection, analysis and outcomes. It will also look at ethical considerations and challenges in conducting research with beneficiaries.

The course includes lectures and application of methods. Participants will be expected through a group project to apply one of the research methods through a practical exercise with refugee and migrant respondents in Egypt on a topic of interest.

Requirements:A minimum knowledge of displacement and migration terminologies is a requirement for the course participation. Knowledge of research is not required.
About the Instructor:Sara Sadek is a PhD Candidate at the Center for Applied Human Rights at the Politics Department at the University of York, UK. She obtained her B.A in Political Science at the American University in Cairo (AUC) in 2003 and her M.A in Refugee Studies at the University of East London (UEL) in UK in 2007. She is currently a consultant and trainer in the field of migration and protection in Egypt and MENA region. She has lead and participated in a series of medium to large-scale needs assessments and research projects using quantitative and qualitative methods including: large-scale surveys, focus group discussions, interviews and ethnographies. She worked as a researcher and consultant for international organizations and academic institutions. To name a few: Center for Migration and Refugee Studies (CMRS) at the American University in Cairo (AUC), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Save the Children International (SC), Swiss Development Cooperation, the University of East London, the French Institute for the Near East (IFPO), Duke University, and Center for Applied Human Rights at the University of York, UK. Research topics covered: Libyan migrants, civil society-state relations, trafficking and smuggling, mixed migratory flows, domestic labor, unaccompanied minors, survivors of Sexual and Gender-based Violence, Diaspora and transnational communities, child protection, livelihoods and socio-economic rights, citizenship, narratives of displacements and transitional justice.

Eligibility for all courses:

Requirements:These courses are offered for undergraduate and postgraduate students, and researchers as well as practitioners working with migrants and refugees. A minimum knowledge of displacement and migration terminologies and context is a requirement for participation in any of the three courses.

All courses are conducted in English and no translation facilities are provided. Participants should have a sufficient command of the English language. Each course will run from 9 am till 5pm for five days.

Interested applicants can apply for one course or for all the three courses.

Number of Participants: minimum of 12 in each course

NB: Non- Egyptian applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early in order to have enough time to obtain their visa.

2. Dates and Location:CMRScourses will take place between Sunday 24^th of January and 11^th of February at the AUC Tahrir Campus in Downtown Cairo. The exact location and room numbers will be forwarded to accepted participants before the start of the courses.

Application Information:

To apply for the courses:

1. Fill out the application form. The form is available on CMRS website: http://www.aucegypt.edu/GAPP/cmrs/outreach/Pages/ShortCourses.aspx
2. Send the application form to cmrscourses@aucegypt.edu with your most recent C.V; Att. Ms. Naseem Hashim

Applicants may apply to and be accepted in more than one course. Please do not hesitate to contact cmrscourses@aucegypt.edu if you have any difficulty with the application process.
Applicants accepted for the course will be notified by email within a week after the deadline for submitting the application.

Fees and Scholarship:

The fee for each course is $ 500. Participants are expected to pay a 30% of the total fees ($150) as a deposit.Please pay attention to the deposit deadline and kindly note that the deposit is non-refundable. More information on payment method will be provided to accepted participants.

Tuition fees will cover course material and two coffee breaks per course day. All participants are kindly requested to secure their visa and organise and cover expenses for their travel to and from Egypt, as well as their accommodation and local transportation in Egypt.

Independent researchers and students can apply for the limited number of scholarships. Scholarships are not intended for participants who can be funded by their own institutions.