IOM, University of Pennsylvania Partner to Harness Innovation for Global Migration Challenges
Berlin/Philadelphia 17 April 2025 – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Penn Development Research Initiative (PDRI/DevLab@Penn) at the University of Pennsylvania today announced a new partnership aimed at leveraging data and technology to address pressing global migration issues. This collaboration will focus on innovative approaches to data analysis, using cutting-edge tools to enhance understanding of migration dynamics and inform effective solutions.
IOM and PDRI/DevLab@Penn will combine their extensive expertise in data and research methodologies. By integrating advanced technologies such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, the institutions aim to improve the analysis of global migration trends and provide actionable insights.
"Through this exciting new partnership with the University of Pennsylvania, IOM will be able to harness innovative technologies to act quickly and in more targeted ways. Combatting smuggling and trafficking and anticipating displacement before it happens are just some of the ways we can put these advanced technologies to use,” said IOM Director General Amy Pope.
"Our research is so much better when we have partners like IOM. We have jointly developed an ambitious learning agenda that aims to tackle human trafficking networks, the impact of climate on migration at a granular scale, and the use of machine learning to forecast forced displacement. We are extremely excited to be working with IOM,” said Erik Wibbels, Co-director of PDRI/DevLab@Penn.
This partnership will help develop global datasets and new techniques to evaluate the impact of migration policies and programs. The initiative also emphasizes the importance of ethical practices in data collection and analysis, and as it adheres to strict privacy and legal frameworks, the collaboration aims to balance the need for actionable insights with safeguarding human rights.
The partnership will be formally launched on Friday, April 18 at an event hosted by Perry World House, IOM, and PDRI/DevLab@Penn as part of the Perry World House conference, "From Migrant to Mainstay: Safeguarding Human Rights after the Journey".
Register to the event launch here.
Note to Editors:
About IOM’s commitment to data:
IOM is dedicated to advancing the collection, analysis, and dissemination of migration data to improve policy-making and humanitarian response. IOM is the pre-eminent source of migration and displacement data worldwide. Learn more: https://www.iom.int/migration-data
About PDRI/DevLab@Penn:
PDRI/DevLab@Penn, housed at the University of Pennsylvania, is a leading hub of innovation in the application of AI and machine learning for international development. Its mission is to advance research and foster impactful programming worldwide. Learn more: https://pdri-devlab.upenn.edu/about-us/
For more information, please contact:
In Berlin: Andi Armia Pratiwi, IOM, Email: apratiwi@iom.int
In Washington: Stacey Cohan, IOM, Email: scohan@iom.int
