Ongoing joint projects:

migsst: Migration and security in the city

Funding codes 13N14784 bis 13N14790

When cities and municipalities take in and attempt to integrate large numbers of migrants and refugees, they face a number of challenges, one of which concerns security. Ethnic residential segregation is considered to increase the local population’s risk of falling victim to a crime or becoming involved in crime themselves. The ESKrim project will examine this assumption by means of a comprehensive and interdisciplinary research method. The team will explore what risk factors can be identified and how they can be influenced, basing their considerations on a variety of scientific perspectives. They will use surveys, interviews and statistical evaluations to collect data on migration, integration and segregation, which they will then analyse in conjunction with crime reports and city-specific/district-specific data. The empirical work in the area of social science will be accompanied by ethical research and studies of legal aspects.

migsst project outline (PDF, only available in German)

  

SiKoMi: Security cooperation and migration

Funding codes 13N14741 bis 13N14744

During the peak of the 2015/2016 refugee influx, new forms of cooperation and action were required in order to look after the people coming into Germany. Numerous players were involved, especially local authorities, aid organisations, the police and private organisations. In addition, it was the personal dedication of those players and the successful inclusion of those willing to volunteer their assistance that produced a positive result. Usable documentation and evaluations of the lessons learned are required if those people’s experience is to be harnessed for future situations. It is for this reason that the SiKoMi project aims to collate and systematically evaluate the knowledge gained during these processes, especially that of local authorities, the police and the German Red Cross (DRK) to identify both good practice and problems.

SiKoMi project outline (PDF, only available in German)

         

STRATUM: Analysis of legal, social and technical aspects and measures to detect illegal migration and combat smuggling of migrants

Funding codes 13N14818 to 13N14823

In order to cross the border into Germany, refugees expose themselves to great risks. For example, a smuggler left a van with 19 asylum seekers alone on an unheated loading area at -20 degrees. In view of this problem, dangers to refugees must be minimized. At the same time, uncontrolled people smuggling must be recorded and stopped, also in the interest of a regulated refugee policy. In the STRATUM project, the practical feasibility as well as the ethical and legal justifiability of using mobile detection methods to detect illegal border crossings in vehicles are being investigated.

STRATUM project outline (PDF, only available in German)

   

WAKE: Migration-related knowledge management for civil protection of the future

Funding codes 13N14748 bis 13N14752

For many aid organisations in the field of civil protection, the refugee situation of 2015/2016 was one of the largest operations they had ever had to handle. During it, they acquired new knowledge through lessons learned as well as adapting their previous knowledge and processes to the specific requirements facing them. This knowledge needs to be systematically merged, structured and processed in order to preserve it and make it transferable to other scenarios in the future. The aim of WAKE is to develop and implement a knowledge-management solution that integrates all levels, authorities and organisations. As part of an ongoing process, this will result in civil protection practice that learns systematically, constantly adapts to new challenges and thus helps improve civil security in disaster situations. 

WAKE project outline (PDF, only available in German)
    

Closed joint project

HUMAN+: Ensuring humanitarian safety through real-time situational awareness for efficient management of migration movements

Funding codes 13N14716 to 13N14723

The Austrian-German project HUMAN+ has set out to develop an integrated solution for real-time situation assessment for refugee movements. The solution is based on social networks and remote sensing data, enabling migration movements to be predicted and acute situations to be handled. The ethical, sociological and legal parameters play an essential role in this work, as does the need to be able to integrate the solution into existing solutions and process chains. The system will facilitate early detection of migration movements, preparation of emergency services on both sides of the border for the situations they can expect and, at the same time, optimal, humane handling of migrants.

HUMAN+ project outline (PDF, only available in German)

         

MEDIAN: Portable, contactless identity-checking facility for migrants

Funding codes 13N14796 bis 13N14800

The influx of refugees into Germany in 2015/16 posed a major challenge for the police and authorities since they had to check and determine the identity of a huge number of migrants as quickly as possible. One of the main aspects requiring improvement is portable facilities for checking data and documents. Current practice is to take unidentified people to police stations to determine their identity but the MEDIAN project aimed to devise a technical solution to facilitate mobile identity checks. The team developed components for rapid, contactless capture and automated comparison of fingerprints or facial images. Research  has also being carried out on technologies for optical and electronic capture and checking of documents carried about the person. The portable equipment enables police officers to determine a person’s identity in situ and save them from having to be taken to a police station.

MEDIAN project outline (PDF, only available in German)

                 

SmartIdentifikation: Smartphone-based analysis of migration trends with the aim of identifying smuggler routes

Funding codes 13N14764 to 13N14768

The aim of the Austrian-German “SmartIdentifikation” project is to develop a system with which to evaluate data from documents and smartphones carried by migrants. The data is to be used to identify individuals and to check the information they give. The photos stored on their smartphones will be used to establish their age. The data will also be analysed with the aim of identifying smuggling routes. As well as developing the necessary technology, the project will investigate the legal and ethical conditions that need to be in place for the system to be accepted and legal, and incorporate these aspects into the technology. The goal is for the system to be used to help check migrants’ statements on the spot and thus to minimise the number of cases requiring individuals to be taken to police stations.

SmartIdentifikation project outline (PDF, only available in German)