This first SNIS annual conference, co-organised with the Swiss Academy of Humanities and Social Sciences, will address during a two-day symposium the subject of European integration, international migration and Swiss foreign policies. The conference is part of a three-year conference cycle on European integration and Switzerland. The next two conferences will address the same main topic but focus on other subthemes.

The emphasis of this year's annual conference is the issue of migration in larger terms. Keynote addresses will deal with deficiencies in democracy in the EU structure and among the EU countries as well as multilateral solutions for migratory patterns. Speakers at round-table panels will address topics such as the financial crisis in the framework of Swiss-EU relations. The interdisciplinary and holistic approach of the conference will also enable to discuss strategies of migration and relate this issue to area and development studies. Additional targets include defining further research agendas and establishing a relation to policy levels from an international studies perspective.

The conference gathers over forty speakers - outstanding scholars of Swiss and European Universities, national and international experts of integration, migration and Swiss foreign policies, representatives of international organisations in Geneva, as well as of governmental and academic institutions, who will approach a wide range of aspects.

The conference offers to the participants an in-depth sight on the issue. Beside the key note speeches, plenary sessions and the podium that will close the conference, several panel discussions on more specific aspects will take place, such as:

• European Integration and Challenges in Democracy
• Migratory Patterns, Integration and Multilateral Solutions in Europe
• Impact of the Financial Crisis on the Swiss-EU Relations
• Migration, Investment and Remittance Policies
• European Integration and the Future of Area Studies
• From Development to Global Studies in Relation to European Integration.

In addition, a special link to the Conference "Africa on the Move - Migratory Projects in the context of globalization" taking place at the same date in Neuchâtel will be created. A video report on discussions held and interviews with participants in Neuchâtel will be broadcasted in Berne.