Metropolis International Migration Network Conference 2026
Rethinking African Mobility: Past Lessons, Present Realities, Future Possibilities
Hosted at the University of Ghana in Accra, the conference will bring together leading scholars, policymakers, and practitioners from around the world to discuss emerging migration trends, policy challenges, and opportunities for mobility-driven development.
The conference program will feature plenary discussions, roundtables, and parallel sessions addressing some of the most pressing migration issues today. Topics include migration governance in Africa, forced displacement and humanitarian crises, externalized border controls, labour mobility and regional integration, migration and development, migration and health, and diaspora engagement.
Invited speakers include representatives from regional and international institutions such as the African Union, ECOWAS, and World Health Organization, alongside prominent migration scholars and policy experts from universities and organizations across Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
Invited speakers include:
Prof. Anna Triandafyllidou — Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada
Prof. Mary Boatemaa Setrana — Director of the Centre for Migration Studies at the University of Ghana
H.E. Wamkele Mene – Director General, African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat
Violet Roumeliotis (AM, GAICD) — CEO of Settlement Services International (SSI), Australia
Dr. Ibrahima Amadou Dia — Director, African Centre for the Study and Research on Migration (ACSRM)
Prof. Opportuna Kweka — IDRC Research Chair, University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Prof. Diego Acosta — University of Bristol
Prof. Paula Banerjee — IDRC Research Chair on Gender and Forced Displacement, Asian Institute of Technology
To view a full list of invited speakers and tentative conference proceedings, download the program below.
Key Info
Dates: 17-20 November, 2026.
Registration: Coming soon. Save the dates above!
Location: University of Ghana, Accra | Format: In-person only
Call for papers: submissions open until 20 April, 2026 (see below for full details)
Contact: Dr. Irina Isaakyan at info@metropolisintl.org
About the Theme
The theme of the 2026 Metropolis International Migration Network Conference is “Rethinking African Mobility: Past Lessons, Present Realities, Future Possibilities.”
While the conference theme centers on African mobility, we warmly welcome submissions on ANY topic related to international migration worldwide, including comparative, regional, and global perspectives.
Website banner photo: Woven Chronicle by artist Reena Saini Kallat.
Quick Links
About the Conference
Call for Papers - Open till 20 April, 2026
Mobility is central to Africa’s development aspirations. From reshaping labour markets, human capital flows, and innovation and technological linkages, free movement across the continent opens up the prospects of strengthening regional integration, unlocking economic transformation, and deepening cultural exchange. In response to the current socio-economic changes, Africa’s data ecosystem is rapidly expanding, offering new opportunities to understand complex flows, drivers and patterns. It is, therefore, important to implement robust, harmonized, and innovative data systems that are foundational for rethinking mobility futures.
However, implementing these interventions creates a complex set of challenges for migration scholars and practitioners. The relationship between mobility and immobility remains significantly understudied and requires a holistic and interdisciplinary approach to unpacking the realities around development, funding, protection, resilience and durable solutions. Overall, migration governance in Africa remains a complex, multi-layered ecosystem, which is shaped by national priorities, regional commitments, and geopolitical entanglements. Within this complex ecosystem, the dominance of Western perspectives and priorities – shaped as they are by economic, political, and military might – insist on framing African mobility primarily through the lens of risk and security, overshadowing its developmental potential. This has resulted in an overemphasis on symptoms of crises – e.g. terrorism and climate-induced displacement – without adequately linking these to their structural and historical roots.
Responding to these challenges, the conference aims to explore and reflect on the evolving landscapes of mobility in Africa, drawing on the contemporary dynamics and forward-looking scenarios, and moving toward a much-needed paradigm shift. Against this backdrop, we invite individual paper and panel submissions addressing the topic of Rethinking African Mobility: Past Lessons, Present Realities and Future Possibilities.
We encourage submissions from a wide range of disciplines, career stages, methodological approaches and geographical focuses. We invite contributions on any topic on the subject of international migration.
There is a limited number of travel grants available for presenters joining from non-OECD countries.
Individual Paper Proposals should include: a 250-word abstract (outlining the topic of the paper, methodology, and preliminary findings); name(s), affiliation(s), and contact details of the author(s); a short (max. 100 words) bio in first person. Individual papers will be grouped thematically into panels and assigned a chair.
Panel Proposals should include, in a single document: a 250-word abstract outlining the theme of the panel, followed by 3-4 thematically interconnected 250-word paper abstracts (outlining the topic of the paper, methodology and preliminary findings); name(s), affiliation(s), contact details of each author above each abstract; short (max. 100 words) bios in first person of the chair(s), and author(s) of each paper.
Proposals must be in doc, docx, or PDF formats. We invite contributions on any related topic on the subject of international migration.
Submissions are open until 20 April, 2026. Applicants will be notified of submission results in late May 2026.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Dr. Irina Isaakyan at info@metropolisintl.org
Submit a paper or panel proposal here or copy and paste this link into your browser tab: https://www.conftool.org/metropolis-intl-2026/
How to Apply
We are currently seeking sponsors with contributions ranging from $500 - $10,000+. Download the full sponsorship prospectus here.
Sponsoring the Metropolis Conference offers an opportunity to:
Engage with leading migration researchers and policymakers
Showcase your organization’s programs, research, or policy initiatives
Connect with global networks working on migration and mobility
Support inclusive participation, including scholars from the Global South
Demonstrate leadership in shaping evidence-based migration policy
Sponsors gain visibility through conference branding, program materials, social media promotion, and direct engagement with attendees.
Download the full sponsorship prospectus here.
If you are interested in sponsoring the 2026 conference, we warmly invite you to contact us:
Sponsorships Contact: Shailee Koranne
Toronto Metropolitan University
Email: shailee.koranne@torontomu.ca
Travel Guide
Below, we have provided a high-level overview of travel requirements and considerations for Accra, Ghana. Confirmed conference presenters and attendees will receive a comprehensive travel guide including information on hotel bookings, transport, safety and local tips, communication, and sightseeing.
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Main entry point is Kotoka International Airport, also known as Accra International Airport(ACC).
Please plan to arrive on November 17, 2026, as conference proceedings will begin at 9:30 AM sharp on November 18.
Attendees will not be reimbursed for the cost of their flights and travel unless specifically told otherwise by the conference organizers.
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Visa requirements, including fees and required documentation, vary by nationality.
Carefully review the Visa Application Information on the Ghana embassy website of your home country. For example, this is the website for the Ghana embassy in Toronto, Canada.
Yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for entry. All travellers (including those coming from countries with no risk to yellow fever) to Ghana must have a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate or records indicating their protection from yellow fever. This certificate may be required during the Visa application process.
Visa processing times: Applicants are required to mail their completed visa application forms and the supporting documents at least 3 weeks before their travel date and at most 3 months before their travel date.
If a business letter is required for your Visa application, we encourage you to obtain the letter from your academic institution or workplace. However, Metropolis International Migration Network can also provide business letters to presenters or attendees who have accepted or confirmed their attendance for the conference.
Attendees will not be reimbursed for the cost of their Visa and travel requirements unless specifically told otherwise by the conference organizers.
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Required: Yellow fever certificate.
Recommended: Typhoid, Hepatitis A/B, Malaria prophylaxis, routine vaccinations.
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When conference registration opens, we will recommend a range of hotels near the conference venue.
We will note any room blocks or negotiated rates secured for conference attendees.
Attendees will not be reimbursed for the cost of their accommodations unless specifically told otherwise by the conference organizers.
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Currency and Money
Local currency is the Ghanaian Cedi (GHS).
Credit cards accepted at hotels and larger establishments.
It is advised to carry some cash for local transport and markets.
Weather
November falls in the dry season. Warm and sunny with low humidity. Temperatures typically around 27–32°C (80–90°F).