EMMIR Edition 11 celebrates graduation with ceremony in Oldenburg
- StudyEMMIR
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
On Friday, 05 September 2025, the EMMIR community gathered in Oldenburg and online to celebrate the graduation of Edition 11 (2023–2025). The event brought together students, staff, and alumni from across the globe.
EMMIR (the European Master in Migration and Intercultural Relations) is a joint Erasmus Mundus master’s programme organized by a consortium of universities across continents. Over two years of study and mobility, students graduate with an M.A. in migration and intercultural relations, equipped with both academic expertise and professional skills.
The ceremony opened with warm words from Dr. Lydia Potts, EMMIR’s Primary Coordinator, followed by a speech from Prof. Dr. Tobias Vogt, Dean of the School of Linguistics and Cultural Studies at the University of Oldenburg. Their remarks highlighted the intellectual rigor, cultural exchange, and resilience that define the EMMIR programme.
Degrees were conferred to the Edition 11 cohort, after which the nominees for the Most Innovative Thesis Award presented their research:
Sonia Caballero Pradas: Between Bombs and Bureaucracy: Migrant-Led Community Kitchens Redefining Space and Solidarity in Lebanon
Furkan Gökalp: Reclaiming the Past, Redefining the Present and the Future: An Ethnographic Exploration of Nostalgia in České Budějovice
Maria Noelia Mora Velarde: Post-Traumatic Growth in the Context of Prolonged Displacement: Lived Experiences of Refugees in Nakivale Refugee Settlement
The award juror, Dr. Jaafar Alloul (Ghent University), praised the depth, originality, and relevance of this year’s theses. A special congratulations goes to Sonia Caballero Pradas, supervised by Dr. John Marnell (Wits/ACMS), who received the Most Innovative Thesis Award for her outstanding research on migrant-led community kitchens in Lebanon.
In addition to the award ceremony, the day featured heartfelt reflections from Edition 11 student representatives and graduates, who spoke about the friendships, challenges, and transformative experiences they shared over the course of the two-year programme.
Honoring Edition 8 graduates
The event also paid tribute to Edition 8 graduates, who had never been able to gather in person for their graduation due to Covid-19. Vinícius Campus Cruz spoke on behalf of his cohort, honoring the journeys and resilience of his classmates. Each graduate was acknowledged in turn, creating a moving moment of recognition long overdue.
Read more: C8 and C9 winners of the Most Innovative Thesis Award announced
The ceremony concluded with a joint farewell from Dr. Potts and Academic Coordinator Michal Musialowski, before graduates, alumni, and guests came together for a reception that spanned across EMMIR’s 13 editions.
Dozens of alumni join the celebration in Oldenburg
The graduation ceremony also coincided with an alumni reunion which brought dozens of EMMIRians to Oldenburg to celebrate 15 years of the programme.
Edition 11 graduates now join a global alumni community of migration scholars and practitioners. Their innovative research and international perspectives embody the spirit of EMMIR and will continue to shape migration studies and practice in the years ahead.
We congratulate all our graduates and look forward to seeing the remarkable contributions they will continue to make in the years ahead!
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