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Integration Modules: New Tools for European Co-operation

A concept paper prepared at the request of the Belgian EU Presidency as an input for the Conference on Integration Modules

Jan Niessen and Alexandre Kirchberger

“The aim of modus vivendi cannot be to still the conflict of values. It is to reconcile individuals and ways

of life honouring conflicting values to a life in common. We do not need common values in order to live

together in peace. We need common institutions in which many forms of life can coexist.”

John Gray, Gray’s Anatomy: Selected Writings (2009)

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Introduction The term ‘integration module’, rather new and hardly used in integration debates, was introduced at European Ministerial Conferences on Integration held between 2007 and 2010. The ministers asked for three modules to be developed, namely on language and introduction courses, the commitment of the host society and the active involvement of immigrants. Since then, the European Commission has set in motion a process for the development and use of European integration modules which should become an established but flexible point of reference for policy-makers and practitioners across Europe.1 The Belgian EU Presidency Conference on Integration, to be held in Brussels in December 2010, aims to increase the engagement of integration actors in that process. This paper proposes a working definition of integration modules and makes suggestions for their structure and scope as well as their content and use. The paper draws upon many years of European multi-stakeholder co-operation on integration, leading to three editions of the EU Integration Handbook and a dynamic European Web Site on Integration, as well as on management and benchmarking practices in the public and private sectors. It aims to provide an input for the process of developing integration modules.

1. From Handbooks to Modules European co-operation on integration has gradually expanded over the past ten years, involving a growing number of actors. It now covers various dimensions of societal integration: the participation of both citizens and migrant residents in economic, social, cultural and civic life on an equal footing. It includes the adoption of legislative and other policy measures, exchange of information and practices, networking and learning, and the generation and sharing of resources. This co-operation takes place in the overall policy context of the Lisbon Strategy (and its successor the Europe 2020 Strategy) and the establishment of an area of justice, freedom and security. The development of integration modules takes forward the work undertaken for the preparation of the Integration Handbooks. The Handbooks were based on technical seminars at which policy-makers and practitioners presented and discussed integration policies and practices. Each chapter of the Handbooks contains conclusions which can be read as an elaboration of the Common Basic Principles on Integration.2

1 The European Ministerial Conferences on Integration were held respectively in Potsdam (2007), Vichy (2008) and Zaragoza (2010). The European Commission’s call for tender to develop the modules is available at: http://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/tenders/2010/tender_039126_en.htm. 2

The three editions of the EU Handbook on Integration in all the official languages of the European Union can be found on the European Website on Integration: First Edition: http://ec.europa.eu/ewsi/en/resources/detail.cfm?ID_ITEMS=1212 Second Edition: http://ec.europa.eu/ewsi/en/resources/detail.cfm?ID_ITEMS=1214 Third Edition: http://ec.europa.eu/ewsi/en/resources/detail.cfm?ID_ITEMS=12892

The issues papers which were produced in preparation for the technical seminars can be found in a

Companion Guide published at: http://ec.europa.eu/ewsi/en/resources/detail.cfm?ID_ITEMS=13257. A document that links the Handbook conclusions to the Common Basic Principles can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/ewsi/en/resources/detail.cfm?ID_ITEMS=7160.

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The preparations for the publication of the Handbooks on Integration can probably be best qualified as a learning exercise. European societies as a whole are learning how to deal with increasing diversity. Governmental and non-governmental organisations and their personnel are acquiring intercultural competencies. Public and private service providers are, by design and also by trial and error, customising their services to a diverse population and client base. Migrant residents are developing the skills to find their way around their new country and learn its language. Citizens with and without migrant backgrounds familiarise themselves with and learn to act in a new and changing environment. The integration modules aim to systematise and apply this learning. Since their development is based on successful practices, they can set high, practically-focused standards and propose the implementation of tried and tested measures of proven effectiveness.

The aim is to make the integration modules established reference documents that set ambitious but realistic and widely-used quality standards

They can:

become new tools for the acquisition of skills and competencies by persons and organisations acting at local, regional, national and European levels;

provide clarification of terminology and the relevance of their content to the integration process;

present a comprehensive approach to the topics they address (from legislative to project management dimensions);

provide practical guidance to governmental and non-governmental actors and help them to improve their performance in these areas.

2. A working definition of integration modules Desk research and a limited number of short interviews in four different regions in Europe demonstrate that the term ‘module’ is rather unknown and only used to some extent in (computer) engineering and education. Most integration actors do not seem to know the term; those that do invariably refer to the aforementioned ministerial conferences. This situation offers a good opportunity to propose and agree on a working definition which can be used for the development of integration modules, starting with those on the three topics selected by the integration ministers. Where the term ‘module’ is used there is a striking commonality, namely that it is described as an essential and distinguishable part of a whole. In engineering, a ‘modular approach’ infers the sub-division of a system into smaller parts that can be independently created and then used in different systems to drive multiple functionalities. This approach combines the advantages of standardisation with those of customisation. In education, a module is a particular course in a curriculum which can be followed separately from other courses. Certificates or credit points are awarded after successful completion of an individual course. Since certificates and credit points are officially recognised, a modular approach allows students to divide their studies over different time periods and institutions. Another commonality is that agreements are reached among stakeholders on terminology and standards. Standards can be described as desirable characteristics of products and services.

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Nowadays these agreements are often reached at international levels; examples are the work of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the Bologna Process. The International Organization for Standardization3 The ISO is a non-governmental membership organisation that forms a bridge between the public and private sectors. It develops standards for activities, such as agriculture and construction, mechanical engineering, manufacturing, distribution, transport, medical devices, information and communication technologies, as well as for good management practice and services. Many of its member institutes are part of their countries’ governmental structures, or are government mandated. Other members have their roots uniquely in the private sector, having been established by industry associations. The ISO’s technical committees, which are composed of experts from agencies in participating countries, debate until they reach consensus on a draft agreement. This is then circulated to the ISO membership for comment and approval. Many members have public review procedures for making draft standards known and available to interested parties and to the general public. ISO members take account of any feedback they receive in formulating their position on the draft standard. Finally, after a favourable vote on the proposal, the document is published as an International Standard. An ISO standard is a documented agreement containing technical specifications or other precise criteria to be used consistently as rules, guidelines, or definitions of characteristics to ensure that materials, products, processes and services are fit for purpose. It is a living agreement that can have a profound influence on the safety, reliability and efficiency of items as important as machinery and tools, means of transport, toys and medical devices. ISO standards are subject to regular review. While adherence to ISO standards is voluntary and not enforced, a number of standards – mainly those concerned with health, safety or the environment – have been adopted in some countries as part of their regulatory frameworks, or are referred to in legislation, for which they serve as the technical basis. However, the adoption of standards is the decision of the regulatory authorities or governments of the countries concerned; ISO itself does not regulate or legislate. Furthermore, ISO standards may become a market requirement, as in the case of ISO 9000 quality management systems or ISO freight container dimensions. The Bologna Process4 The Bologna Process is a collective effort led by ministers for higher education from 47 countries and involving public authorities, universities, teachers and students, together with stakeholder associations, employers, quality assurance agencies, international organisations and institutions. It aims to create a European Higher Education Area by 2010 in which students can choose from a wide and transparent range of high quality courses and benefit from smooth recognition procedures. Since the start of the process (the adoption of the 1999 Bologna Declaration), a series of reforms have been carried out which were necessary to make European higher education more compatible and comparable, as well as more competitive and attractive for European students and scholars

3 See: http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_catalogue. 4 See: http://ec.europa.eu/education/higher-education/doc1290_en.htm.

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from other continents. Reform was needed then and is still needed today if Europe is to match the performance of the best performing systems in the world, notably the United States and Asia. Part of the exercise is the design of easily readable and comparable degrees organised in a three cycle structure (bachelor-master-doctorate). Participating countries are establishing national qualifications frameworks that are compatible with an overarching European framework of qualifications and define learning outcomes for each of the three cycles. These frameworks describe the qualifications of an educational system and how they interlink. They also describe what learners should know, understand and be able to do on the basis of a given qualification, as well as how learners can move from one qualification to another within a system. Different as the ISO and the Bologna Process may be, there are lessons to be learned from these operations which are relevant for the development of integration modules. The benefits of both are twofold. Since they provide a common technological or educational language and a reference framework, they (1) facilitate exchanges of goods, knowledge, technology, services and people and (2) increase the quality of products and services, enhance the performance of producers and better equip those who make uses of these products and services. Both are reasonably participatory and transparent operations engaging governmental and non-governmental stakeholders. They bring together policy-makers and practitioners, experts and beneficiaries.

Integration modules can be described as negotiated standards comprised of sets of specifications and qualifications which deal with essential aspects of integration

An evidence-based and participatory development process enhances the quality and the use of the modules.

3. Developing integration modules

Integration modules have three components, namely an explanation of the scope, a description of the content and guidance for implementation (see Annexe I for a summary description of the structure of the modules). This section deals with these three components by giving examples of how integration modules can be developed for the selected topics, namely language and introduction courses, the commitment of the host society and the active involvement of immigrants. 3.1 Scope This first step for the design of integration modules provides the rationale for and demonstrates the relevance of integration modules. It also situates integration modules in the policy environment which includes an assessment of the impact of existing policies and laws as they may enhance or diminish the modules’ effectiveness. This step builds on evidence provided by needs assessments, evaluations of existing practice, legislative and policy impact assessments and scientific research. Module 1: Language and introductory courses – Setting quality assurance standards for the delivery and quality of language and introductory courses The Common Basic Principles recognise that the acquisition of basic knowledge of the host society’s language, history and institutions, as well as its values, is indispensable to enable immigrants to

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become more successful and active, and thus critical for integration.5 This module is used in situations where it is demonstrated that significant groups of persons with a migrant background lack this knowledge to such a degree that it hampers their participation in society. Evidence illustrates how such knowledge enhances beneficiaries’ confidence, self-sufficiency and participation. This module takes forward the conclusions of the Handbook chapter on introduction programmes which re-emerges throughout subsequent Handbook chapters, for instance on empowerment, the acquisition of nationality and education. It describes the quantitative and qualitative targets in terms of beneficiaries (men, women, first or second generation etc.) and content (skills to be developed). The courses are to be implemented in ways that enable all participants to become better informed, more skilled and increasingly active. They are to be tailored to the different educational needs and capacities of both newcomers and those who are already settled. Only qualified organisations (for instance, those applying this integration module) are engaged to provide the courses. The educational environment shapes the content of the language and introduction courses and determines how these courses are organised and delivered. Impact assessments help to eliminate obstacles to their successful implementation. Questions to be answered in such impact assessments concern the effects on educational achievements of the certainty of a person’s legal status, the voluntary or compulsory character of the courses, associated sanctions and incentives, the recognition of previously-acquired skills and competencies, and equal access to education and vocational training. The answers may inspire and lead to policy change, thus increasing the courses’ success rate.

Module 2: Commitment of the host society – Providing standards for the opening up of mainstream organisations The Common Basic Principles state that integration, as a two-way process, requires that public and private institutions grant equal access to employment, goods and services as well as to decision-making. The host society demonstrates its commitment to integration when it helps all mainstream organisations and institutions to reflect the diverse populations that they serve.6 This module is used in situations where it is demonstrated that significant groups of persons are not active in mainstream organisations or do not have access to services as a result of their immigrant background. Evidence illustrates how the opening up of such institutions empowers immigrants, making them valued and active residents and promoting societal well-being. This encourages organisations to act and enables them to set precise targets to engage people with an immigrant background. The Handbooks conclude that the opening up of organisations sets the conditions for immigrants to not only secure a career that matches their skills and qualifications, but also to make valued cultural, economic, social and political contributions to public life. Diverse organisations provide a space for residents of all backgrounds to meet and interact together. In the workplace, for instance, immigrants work with non-immigrants as colleagues, clients, mentors, bosses or employees. These interactions can raise awareness among members of the host society and encourage them to become more involved in the integration process.

5 CBPs 2, 3 and 5.

6 CBPs 1, 3, 6 and 7.

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Instruments include positive action, diversity management, supplier diversity and tailor-made service delivery. The lessons learned can be applied to governments and non-governmental actors in their capacities as employers and buyers and providers of goods and services. This module can be used by relevant public authorities and other agencies, be they local, regional, or national, social partners, political parties, or members of civil society. Legislative and other measures fighting discrimination and promoting equality have an impact on whether and how mainstream institutions are effectively opened up. Anti-discrimination legislation outlaws various forms of discrimination in terms of type, grounds and fields of application. It provides the means for individuals to fight discrimination and puts in place strong enforcement mechanisms as well as proactive equality policies.7 Without such policies this modules are unlikely to meet with great success. Module 3: Immigrants' participation in all areas of collective life – Setting standards for active citizenship The Common Basic Principles recognise frequent interaction between immigrants and citizens as a fundamental mechanism and guarantee the practice of diverse cultures and religions. Participation in the democratic process and in the formulation of integration policies supports integration8. This module is used in situations where it is demonstrated that significant groups of persons are not engaged in civic life because of their migrant background. Evidence illustrates how participation in all areas of collective life enhances the well-being of the community. The Handbooks identify two channels for civic participation, namely volunteering and the democratic process. The conclusions highlight the benefits of such involvement, underlining the importance of NGOs as mainstreamers, media spokespersons, awareness raisers and dialogue platforms. Therefore, greater public investment needs to be made in immigrants’ active citizenship and leadership in all areas of collective life. More than one module can be developed on this topic, for example on civic education (empowerment) and on volunteering (plays a key role in civic participation9). Research across Europe finds that when immigrants found, join and link together their own associations, they gain more trust in the country’s political institutions, become more involved in mainstream associations, trade unions, and political parties, and participate more broadly in public life (e.g. voting, petitions and protests). Immigrant civil society participation is strengthened or weakened depending on the opportunities created by host society institutions, especially government (e.g. consultation, funding, partnership on service delivery and information provision), and mainstream organisations. This module can be used by all kinds of mainstream and immigrant organisations. Existing legislative measures have an important effect on levels of immigrant participation in public life. For example, immigrants are less likely to volunteer when they are not allowed to join or create associations, do not have voting rights, are not consulted, and when the road to full citizenship is

7 See the reports on the implementation of EU anti-discrimination law prepared by the Migration Policy Group

and HEC on behalf of the European Commission. See also the report Links between Migration and Discrimination. These reports are available at: http://www.migpolgroup.com/projects_publications.php?id=19. 8 CPBs 7, 8 and 9. 9 It is interesting to note that 2011 has been designated as the European Year of Volunteering

(http://www.eyv2011.eu).

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long and cumbersome. Policies and laws may be adjusted to strengthen the implementation of this module and to increase its effectiveness. 3.2 Content The second step in the development of the modules concerns the description of their content. It is of crucial importance that existing practices are used, in particular those which are considered to be successful. This not only avoids re-inventing the wheel but also raises standards and ensures that the modules become a practical tool. A further key element is the engagement of integration actors with a view to working towards an agreement on the content of the module. This step entails the following:

Identification of existing good practices so as to draw out key lessons. The European Web Site on Integration, for instance, features 85 good practices related to language courses, 44 good practices related to volunteering and 42 good practices related to making organisations more diverse.

Identification and use of expert organisations and the standards developed by them.10

Targeted and inclusive consultations with the integration actors who will discuss a first draft of a module. It is important that these consultations are well-balanced in terms of the equal participation of men and women and experts with and without an immigrant background.

Presentation of the outcome of the consultations in the form of a new draft which is submitted to decision-makers for adoption. Modules that are not designed for official adoption by authorities can be submitted to a community of integration actors and professional organisations.

Annexe II presents a generic description of the core elements of integration modules. Annexe III provides an example for each topic. 3.3 Use The third and final step in the development of integration modules provides guidance for their implementation. This may differ according their status, the type of user and the context in which they are to be used. As negotiated standards and the result of a participatory process, modules may very well become widely-used instruments.

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For the preparation of this paper, the authors have used the Handbooks on Integration, the Investing in Volunteers Quality Standard, the work of the Diversity Label and the benchmarks developed in the INTI-Cities and DIVE projects:

Investing in Volunteers UK Quality Standard, available at: http://iiv.investinginvolunteers.org.uk/;

Association française de normalisation (AFNOR), Label diversité : cahiers des charges de labellisation applicables aux fonctions publiques (Paris: AFNOR, 2008). This is available at: http://www.afnor.org/certification/lbh004;

EUROCITIES and Migration Policy Group, Benchmarking Integration Governance in Europe’s Cities: Lessons Learned from the INTI-Cities project (EUROCITIES and MPG: Brussels, 2008) (supported by the INTI Fund). See also EUROCITIES and Migration Policy Group, Cities Accommodating Diversity: Findings and recommendations from the peer review project ‘Diversity and Equality in European Cities’ (EUROCITIES and MPG: Brussels, 2009) (supported by the European Integration Fund). Information on these two projects is available from: http://www.migpolgroup.com/projects_detail.php?id=5 and http://www.migpolgroup.com/projects_detail.php?id=44. See also Annexe IV.

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Endorsement and status of modules Modules can be developed under the leadership of governmental or non-governmental agencies. When they are adopted by governments they acquire official status and can become binding instruments. When adopted by non-governmental agencies, for example professional organisations, they can become binding for members of these organisations. These instruments can be made binding in different ways and to different degrees:

As guidelines for integration actors, the implementation of which can be assessed on an annual basis. Reports on implementation enable comparisons over time and between countries. They identify strengths and weaknesses as well as factors that are critical for success and for transferring good practices to other countries or levels of governance.

As part of the regulatory framework in the event that legislative measures make explicit reference to the modules. This is a practice followed with ISO or similar widely-accepted standards.11 In this way, modules are used to describe in more detail a legislative provision and provide guidance on implementation.

Modules that are used on a voluntary basis by professional organisations gain strength not only by making them binding for their members but also by members agreeing that they will only co-operate or do business with organisations that adhere to the same standards. Governments can do the same when they act as service providers and when they outsource or procure goods and services (for instance, tender specifications can include provisions related to the use of the relevant modules). Organisations that have adopted the modules as practice standards can therefore gain a competitive edge, creating a snowball effect among competitors and partners.

Modules can also be used as an incentive when they are considered as a quality proof. Individuals that have followed a course at an educational institution that operates on the basis of an agreed module or organisations that apply the relevant module(s) in their work could receive preferential treatment on this basis.

Certification and audits Integration actors can use the modules to initiate or improve their work on integration. In countries of recent immigration, integration actors are likely to have little or no experience of designing and implementing integration policies, whereas in countries with a longer history of immigration, new challenges may arise that call for new responses. Ideally, modules should be formulated in such a way as to present standards as a range and describe how to progress from applying the minimum to reaching the maximum. Governmental and non-governmental organisations should publicly state, for example in their mission statements that they adhere to the modules’ standards. This raises questions regarding the

11 Most recently the European Council’s Directive on highly skilled migrants made an explicit reference to the International Standard Classification of Occupation (see Recital 10 of the Preamble to Council Directive 2009/50/EC, available at: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2009:155:0017:01:EN:HTML).

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validation of this adhesion (the certification of organisations, goods and services) and the monitoring of its implementation (audits). Management and benchmarking tool The steps to be taken to make modules a management and benchmarking tool are spelled out in more detail in Annexe IV (two examples). This will help organisations to use the appropriate module(s) in their work, while allowing enough flexibility in terms of the timeframe and intensity of implementation. The management or benchmarking tool can, for example, indicate the number of points to be earned for each step, classifying organisations or products in numerical terms or in terms of level (elementary, intermediate, advanced etc.). The points system can also help to certify organisations and their services and products, with a certain number of points required by the consumer. Flexibility can also be incorporated in relation to the size of the organisation (SME, large or multi-national organisation). Organisations can assess themselves and their services and goods or can be assessed by a third party; this can be done by invitation or on an unsolicited basis by interest groups. The modules should be widely publicised in order to ensure their successful uptake. General communication channels such as the EU Web Site on Integration and/or the specific channels of expert organisations can be used, depending on the audience. Using modern teaching methods (e-learning) and interactive technologies (webinars), a dedicated website run by an independent and specialised agency would allow for a smart communications strategy promoting the dissemination of the module in addition to providing advice on implementation and facilitating the monitoring of this process.

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ANNEXE I – INTEGRATION MODULE STRUCTURE

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ANNEXE II – INTEGRATION MODULE CONTENTS

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ANNEXE III – EXAMPLES OF INTEGRATION MODULES

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ANNEX IV – EXAMPLES OF EXISTING MANAGEMENT / BENCHMARKING TOOLS

a. Supplier Diversity

Supplier Diversity Europe started as a partnership of twenty multinational companies. It was initiated and is managed by the Migration Policy Group with the aim of designing and implementing inclusive procurement policies. These policies should lead to the inclusion of minority- and immigrant- owned businesses in the lists of suppliers of large purchasing organisations (including those of governments). A sophisticated tool was developed and tested over a period of three years which is used for benchmarking

and learning purposes, helping organisations to change. The flow diagram below is a summary version.12

12 Handbook on Supplier Diversity in Europe is available at: http://www.migpolgroup.com/publications_detail.php?id=253.

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b. Cities peer reviews

Two diversity-related benchmarks were developed in the framework of the INTI-Cities and DIVE projects. The INTI-Cities benchmark was built to assess local integration policies, practices and governance arrangements. The benchmark was successfully tested on the municipalities of Helsinki, Rotterdam, Malmö, Düsseldorf, Genoa and Lyon and was validated by peers from the cities of Milan, Utrecht, Belfast, Barcelona, Tampere and Amaroussion. As a sequel to INTI-Cities, the DIVE benchmark sought to evaluate how municipalities use diversity and equality principles when acting as employers, buyers of goods and services, policy-makers and service-providers. The DIVE benchmark was applied on the ground in Amsterdam, Leeds, Berlin and Rome, drawing also on the experience of INTI-Cities peers from Barcelona, Belfast, Helsinki and Tampere. Cities participating in DIVE committed to a Charter on Integrating Cities,

13 produced by EUROCITIES. The DIVE

benchmark can therefore be used to monitor the implementation of the Charter in the signatory cities. The DIVE benchmark on cities as employers is reproduced below as an example.

13 See: http://www.integratingcities.eu/.