Conference on the new European Pact on Migration and Asylum: Legal and Social Challenges

The right to asylum and the management of migration flows remain at the heart of the political, legal and social debate within the European Union. At this crucial juncture, marked by the adoption of the new European Pact on Migration and Asylum, it is essential to analyse both the impact these reforms will have on the protection of human rights and their direct consequences for social and community life.

To reflect on and analyse these challenges from a multidisciplinary perspective, on 22 and 23 October 2026, the University of Almería will host the ‘Conference on the European Pact on Migration and Asylum: Legal and Social Challenges’.

Organisation

This conference is organised by the Centre for European Documentation and the Vice-Rectorate for Scientific Policy at the University of Almería (UAL), the Centre for the Study of Migration and Intercultural Relations (CEMyRI), and the Department of Public International Law at the UAL. It is also supported by the UAL’s Vice-Rectorate for Student Affairs and the EUPROTEGE project (PID-172467NB-100): Situations of Vulnerability in the European Pact on Migration and Asylum. Prevention and Protection Mechanisms.

Programme

Thursday, 22 October

• 09:00–09:30: Reception and collection of accreditation
• 09:30: Opening ceremony

• Institutional welcome by Mr José Antonio Sánchez Pérez, Vice-Rector for Scientific Policy at the UAL, and Mr José Ignacio López-Gay Lucio-Villegas, Director of the CDE at the UAL.

• 10.00–11.00: Opening lecture by Javier de Lucas Martín, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy of Law and Political Philosophy at the Institute of Human Rights, University of Valencia.
• 11.00–14.00: Round-table discussion: The European Pact on Migration and Asylum and its impact on rights

• Joana Abrisketa Uriarte, Professor of Public International Law at the University of Deusto and researcher at the Pedro Arrupe Institute for Human Rights.
• Juan Santos Vara, Professor of Public International Law and International Relations, holder of the Jean Monnet Chair in External Action and Coordinator of the European Joint Master’s in Strategic Border Management at the University of Salamanca.
• The panel will be moderated by Eva Díez Peralta, Senior Lecturer in Public International Law at the University of Almería.

• 14:00–15:30: Lunch break
• 15:45–17:45: Practical workshop: Participatory methodologies in research with migrant communities

• The session will address the use of participatory methodologies as tools for applied social research and community work, fostering dialogue between academic knowledge and practical experience. It will be coordinated and moderated by Rubén Rodríguez Puertas (CEMyRI, UAL) and will feature contributions from Estefanía Acién González (Acciónenred Andalucía, CEMyRI, UAL), Daniel Izuzquiza (Jesuit Migrant Service – SJM Almería) and Rubén Romero Masegosa (Convive – Cepaim Foundation).

Friday, 23 October

• 10.00–13.30: Round-table discussion: Social dimensions of the European Pact on Migration and Asylum: policies, perceptions and realities

• Carmen Gregorio Gil,Professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Granada
• Ana María López Sala, Institute of Economics, Geography and Demography, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)
• Rut Bermejo Casado, Senior Lecturer in Political Science and Public Policy at Rey Juan Carlos University and Research Fellow at the Elcano Royal Institute
• The discussion will be moderated by Ángeles Arjona Garrido, Professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Almería and Director of CEMyRI (Centre for the Study of Migration and Intercultural Relations)

• 1.30–2.00 pm: Closing session

Attendance and award of one (1) ECTS credit

To attend this conference, you must complete the registration form by clicking on the link.

To obtain the certificate of attendance and achievement, which entitles you to one (1) ECTS credit, you must attend all sessions and submit a short paper, the general outline of which will be specified on the final day of the conference.

Key event details

• Date: 22 and 23 October 2026
• Venue: Conference Room, Business School Building, University of Almería