MALTA – Dec.15, 2021 - The International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) launched the Training Institute on Migration Capacity Partnership for the Mediterranean (MCP Med TI) on 15 December 2021 in Malta. The launch event took place with the distinguished presence of Hon. Evarist Bartolo, Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Malta, and Michael Spindelegger, Director General of ICMPD, with an online intervention by the Deputy Director-General of the European Commission Directorate General for Migration and Home Affairs, Mr. Johannes Luchner.

MCP Med TI is funded by Malta, Austria, Denmark and the European Union, via the Migration Partnership Facility (MPF) of ICMPD.

The new training centre aims to contribute to building partnerships by establishing a permanent and accredited regional training institute offering quality-assured, bespoke learning and coaching that results in the certification for migration actors. The training institute will be based in Malta and will initially support partner countries in the Mediterranean region that need training and capacity building of their migration operators. Specific objectives of MCP Med TI will include:

• Access to quality, cost-effective training designed to transfer the methods, tools and approaches to respond effectively and proactively to the emerging migration priorities both at the national and regional level;
• Promotion of an organisational environment that values development, dialogue, joint initiatives and multilateral cooperation; and
• The utilisation of technology resources and tools to improve and enhance workflow efficiency.

“MCP Med TI shall become a state-of-the-art, migration governance training institute developing original training material to supplement sourced pre-approved courseware, thus establishing an evolving library of custom-made, quality assured learning products effectively addressing its partners’ needs, drawing on experience from experts from involved partner states and associated institutions”, said Michael Spindelegger, Director General of ICMPD.

The Deputy Director-General of the European Commission Directorate General for Migration and Home Affairs, Mr. Johannes Luchner, conveyed that “the action is fully in line with the EU’s migration policy framework, in particular the New Pact on Migration and Asylum”. He further stated that “the Pact calls for providing support to partners in developing effective migration governance and management capacities. This project will be a key element to the mutually beneficial partnerships that the EU seeks to achieve”.

The initiative is set at the nexus of two key European and regional strategic endeavours, namely vocational education and migration governance, addressing specific identified needs in the Mediterranean. MCP Med TI represents an ambitious endeavour to address the call for increased efficiency and quality training in the migration sector.

 “As a former Minister of Education, I can confirm that training is a key tenet of well-functioning governance systems, as are partnerships in the area of migration”, said Hon. Evaraist Bartolo. “Moving towards a mutual acknowledgement of partners’ respective realities, priorities, and respective goals for migration management in their geographical areas will be central to shaping revitalised partnerships that create win-win situations for all involved. “

In this regard, MCP Med TI sets out a new partnership approach in ensuring improved self-assessment capacities, better matching between training needs and offers, greater ownership over the curricula notably from EU Southern Partner Countries, and increasing joint commitment towards capacity partnership in the framework of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation.

For further information on MCP-Med TI,  see the