Migration 4 - Education ...

Thursday, September 9, 2010. What is the connection between migration and education? There is this argument in many discussions: “we want the educated people to come”. Some countries even introduce quotas for people with a particular educational background. The issue of migration and education is a topic in many discussions today, and we need to talk about it.

Education and Migration

In general, people with all different kinds of background migrate for very differnt reasons. In some areas, though, that might be biased towards a particular educational background. Some areas attract computer programmers, since the industry is strong there and since traditional connections have developed over time. Other areas attract people from a particular provice in a particular country, and people can be rather simple and might not have an academic background. When family connections are established, such processes are rather natural!

Every country today has a particular educational system and tradition. That has a strong influence on the background of people, on their abilities and their potential to bring innovation into the local economy or into the world economy. It is not necessarily linked to intelligence, but more to the cultural background. When you grew up in a family who invented new processors, you are more likely to invent the next generation and make it happen. When your professor knew all the important people, you are more likely to get to know some of them.

Changing a state is a challenge for education as well. It opens new possibilities for the migrant, but it is also quite a challenge to catch up with the knowledge and know-how which other people have learned in school or in the first years of university. Even between European states the basic knowledge of students is quite diverse - and that is even more the case when you study the worldwide picture! Organizing possibilities which make it possible and easier to catch-up is a key task for us today!

Education of faith

When you live with Christians in another culture, that can be very interesting. They have their own and different background. They read the same bible, and you will realize that you are very close to them when it comes to faith. But you will also realize strong differences in terms of practices and style. Different cultures reflect the same faith in different ways!

When I got to know a Japanese church, that was a great experience. The people were extremely friendly, very open, indeed. You might think that Japanese keep some distance to a strangers, and often they do. But when they let you in, their hospitality can be fantastic!

Cultural differences become less important, when you know that you believe in the same wonderful God. You pray to the same source of life, truth and love. You are linked to the same saviour. You are connected in a wonderful way, even if there are so many differences! There is the education through faith, which we all share. ... more texts