Short Courses

Course timeline May 31- June 4, 2026

Application Deadline: May 21, 2026

This intensive five-day interdisciplinary course explores the complex relationship between public opinion, international migration, and the media. The course begins by examining the nature of public opinion toward migration issues and the various factors that shape public attitudes. It then investigates the media’s role using communication theories such as Agenda Setting, Priming, and Framing to illustrate how the media influence public perceptions. A practical focus on Framing Analysis equips participants to deconstruct how media portray migration stories through frames such as “economic burden,” “security threat,” or “humanitarian crisis,” and to assess their impact on audiences. The course concludes with a group media content analysis exercise applying framing techniques to real migration narratives. This course is ideal for migration researchers, communication professionals, and journalists. Join us to deepen your understanding of how the stories we tell shape global perceptions of migration.

About the Instructor:

Maysa Ayoub is an adjunct assistant arofessor at the American University in Cairo, teaching at both the Center for Migration and Refugee Studies (CMRS) and the Sociology Department. With over twenty years of experience, she is a leading scholar in the field of international migration. Her research and teaching expertise cover key areas including migration policies, public opinion and migration, migration and integration, social problems in the Middle East, and qualitative research methodologies. Ayoub holds a PhD in Political Science from the Faculty of Economics and Political Science at Cairo University, an MA in Sociology, and a postgraduate diploma in Migration Studies from the American University in Cairo. Her PhD thesis analyzed the complex relationship between migration policies, public opinion, and media narratives, comparing European countries’ policy responses to large refugee influxes.

Course timeline June 7 -11, 2026

Application Deadline: June 1, 2026

Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) for migration development measures ensure that programs supporting migrants, refugees, returnees, and host communities are effective, accountable, and evidence-based, and that new lessons learned are incorporated into new programming cycles. This comprehensive and highly interactive five-day course focuses on designing and managing M&E systems in migration contexts, integrating results-based management (RBM), protection principles, mobility dynamics, and policy sensitivity — especially in fragile and politically sensitive contexts. It will bridge theory with practice—combining learning-oriented exercises with theoretical background to help participants reflect, learn, share experiences, and create impact. Therefore, the course is designed for technical practitioners who want to learn how to design and manage monitoring systems and data collection tools in migration contexts, while also understanding and managing evaluation cycles.   

About the Instructor:

Salma Sabri is an economist with an M.A. in Development Studies, specializing in monitoring and evaluating programs, organizations, and strategies. She has earned numerous certifications in Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (PMEL/MEL) from various international organizations. She is also a founding board member of the Egyptian Evaluation Association. Over the past 25 years, she has served as a planning, monitoring, evaluation, and learning advisor and consultant supporting international development organizations. Sabri provides strategic and technical advice on learning-focused Monitoring and Evaluation (Mand E) systems; coaching; on-the-job and off-the-job training; participatory evaluations; strategic and operational planning; M and E guidelines; facilitation and training; and the implementation of evaluations to promote learning and feedback cultures within organizations. Currently, she teaches an M.A. course at the Faculty of Economics and Political Science, Cairo University. 

Course timeline June 14 -18, 2026

Application Deadline: June 1, 2026

This course focuses on defining gender from a sociological perspective and briefly examines different feminist perspectives, some of which have been instrumental in changing the role of gender in refugee policy. We will discuss the role (or lack thereof) of gender in refugee status determination, using case studies, theories, and class discussions.

We will look at the impact of gender at every stage of the refugee experience: before, during, and after. We will specifically examine rape as a weapon of war. Additionally, we will question concepts such as vulnerability and deservingness and reflect on how refuge affects masculinities. The class will be based on short lectures, class discussions, and group activities.

About the Instructor: 

Alexandra Parrs holds a Ph.D. in Sociology and has taught university courses on gender, migration, minority rights, and political economy in the United States, Egypt, Oman, Myanmar, and Belgium. Her academic work focuses on marginalized and vulnerable communities, particularly refugees and minority populations. She has published research-based academic books and peer-reviewed articles in both French and English. From 2019 to 2022, Parrs worked in Namibia with the San community, developing educational and community initiatives. She then moved to Washington, D.C., where she taught at American University while continuing to support projects with the San community in Namibia. Parrs is currently based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where she teaches courses on migration, identity, and diasporic movements at Addis Ababa University. Alongside her academic work, she continues her collaboration with San communities in Namibia.

Course timeline July 12 -15, 2026

Application Deadline: June 1, 2026

This course aims to explore, understand, and critically reflect on the concept of migrant integration. It will start by examining the complexity of integration and its definitional challenges. It will then examine the various barriers to integration from both theoretical and practical standpoints by applying a critical lens. Finally, it will discuss the ongoing debates surrounding integration. The course is designed around engaged learning, including lectures, interactive exercises, debates, and other stimulating activities.

About the Instructor: 

Adham Aly is an academic lecturer and PhD candidate based in the Netherlands, where he works at Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR). He grew up and studied in Italy, Egypt, the USA, and the Netherlands. He earned his bachelor’s degree in “International Economics, Management, and Finance” at Bocconi University in Milan (IT) and a master's in “Public Administration with a specialization in Governance of Migration and Diversity” at Erasmus University, Leiden University, and TU Delft. Since then, he has been an academic lecturer at EUR, where he teaches International Migration. He’s worked on multiple EU research projects such as “CrossMigration” and "SPRING", and is now completing his PhD, focusing on integration practices, diversity and inclusive policymaking, and discrimination. His research agenda revolves around topics of integration, second-generation identity and belonging, anti-discrimination governance, and their intersections. Aly has been teaching the Migration and Integration course at AUC CMRS since 2023.