About the Centre
The Western Centre for Research on Migration and Ethnic Relations facilitates research that draws on academic knowledge to inform public policy and practice on migration and ethnic relations in Canada and internationally. The goals of the Centre are to foster interdisciplinary research among faculty and students on questions of direct relevance to migration and ethnic relations, provide training opportunities for students beyond the borders of their own discipline and Western, and forge links with policy makers, the academic community in Canada and internationally, and the community at large. As worldwide migration climbs to historically unprecedented levels and instances of ethnic conflict fill the headlines, research and training in the domain of migration and ethnic relations are increasingly important endeavors. Research is required to inform policy and practices that will ensure that the challenges of managing migration and diversity are successfully met, in ways that facilitate the achievement and well-being of immigrants and ethnic minorities, that elicit the support and cooperation of all members of society, and that ensure that nations benefit collectively. The training of highly skilled personnel is required not only to conduct such research, but to ensure that the lessons we learn from it are implemented effectively. The Centre informs policy and practice on migration and ethnic relations through the research conducted under the auspices of the Centre and as the academic home of the Pathways to Prosperity Partnership, a SSHRC funded alliance of federal and provincial migration ministries; municipalities; national, regional, and local organizations involved in newcomer settlement and integration; and researchers from over 50 universities.
MER is one of the six governing research centres that encompass the Network for Economic and Social Trends (NEST).
