Swiss Conference of Migration and Mobility Studies 2026 | FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is on the scientific and organizing committee of the conference?
The members of the committee are Lucas Oesch (Scientific Officer of the nccr – on the move), Julia Litzkow (Knowledge Transfer Officer of the nccr – on the move), Robin Stünzi (Education, Careers and Equal Opportunities Officer of the nccr – on the move), Nora Bardelli (Administrative Director of the nccr – on the move), Maja Lysienia (University of Lausanne/HES-SO Valais-Wallis), Anna Marino, Sélim Clerc and Carol Pierre (University of Neuchâtel), Maeva Perrin (University of Geneva).

Where and when does the conference take place?
University of Neuchâtel, Av. du 1er-Mars 26, on 7 and 8 July 2026.

Is the conference open to the public?
No, all sessions and events are only accessible to registered participants, apart from the Keynote lecture which is open to the public.

What are the criteria for the selection of the contributions?
We used five criteria for the selection, namely: (1) scientific relevance to the research on migration and mobility; (2) originality; (3) fit with the overall topic of the conference; (4) clarity of exposition; (5) adequacy of methods and soundness of the research design.

How many contributions did you accept?
We accepted 64 proposals.

I need an additional document (e.g. a formal invitation letter) to apply for my visa.
Please contact our administrative assistant Gina Fiore at gina.fiore@unine.ch. When requesting your VISA, with regard to the length of stay, please take into account all your travel days.

How many sessions are there at the conference?
The conference includes 16 different panels, each including 3 to 4 paper presentations, one roundtable on “Decolonizing Migration Studies within Fortress Europe”, two workshops on “Migration Stories: Imagination and the Power of Representation” and “Co-Creation of Knowledge at the Crossroads of Academia, Activism and the Arts”, two poster exhibits of the nccr – on the move Phase III research projects and on “Visualising Otherwise: Multimodal Explorations of Digital Borders and Migration Regimes” and finally, one keynote lecture entitled “Reclaiming Cosmopolitanism for a Mobile World”. For the two workshops, you need to register in advance as places are limited to 25 persons each.

How are the sessions in the panels structured?
Each session will include three to four 30 minutes papers presentations, divided as follows:
Graduate panels: presentation (10 minutes), mentors’ feedback (5-10 minutes), Q&A with all participants (10-15 minutes).
General panels: presentation (15 minutes), Q&A with all participants (15 minutes).

When and how do I have to submit my paper?
We are expecting your paper by 22 June 2026 for those who want to be selected for the best paper award (only relevant for participants presenting in graduate panels) and 1 July 2026 for those who do not wish to be eligible (also for general panels). In addition, participants of graduate panels should also send their paper to the mentor of their panels (also by 1 July). There are no specific guidelines regarding the format of the paper but it should not exceed 8000 words (excluding bibliography and annexes).

Should I bring supporting slides?
This is not mandatory, but highly recommended. Please send your slides by email by 6 July at 6 pm CEST to the chair of your panel (and please also bring a version on a USB stick as a backup).

What is the best paper award?
This is a 500 CHF prize for the best paper, awarded by a committee of experts composed of the Education Officer of the nccr – on the move, the Scientific Officer of the nccr – on the move, and two professors of the network. Only non-NCCR members are eligible for the prize. Papers have to be sent to scmms@nccr-onthemove.ch by 22 June at Midnight CEST. The prize money will be paid directly on a bank account provided by the winner.

The main criteria for the decision are the following:
(1) does the paper engage with an original research question? (2) does the paper convincingly show the scientific relevance of the research question? (3) does the paper rely on well-grounded research design? (4) does the paper clearly outline the key results of the research?

What are the fees?
The fee chart can be visualized here. There are two categories for members and non-members of SAMMS. SAMMS is the newly formed Swiss Association of Migration and Mobility Studies (more information on the association available soon). If you wish to become a member and benefit from the lower conference fees, please send your request for membership by email to info@samms.ch. Once you have sent the request, you can immediately register and benefit from the reduced conference fees (paying the membership fees later to the SAMMS, as per the instructions you will receive). SAMMS membership fees.

SCMMS Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, please contact scmms@nccr-onthemove.ch by 21 June 2026, Midnight CEST.

Practical information?
Upload here.

Can I get an attendance certificate?
Yes, please e-mail your request to gina.fiore@unine.ch.

If your question has not been answered here, please contact Julia Litzkow, the Knowledge Transfer Officer of the nccr – on the move, with regard to the scientific part or the administrative assistant Gina Fiore gina.fiore@unine.ch for practical issues.