The future is in post-industrial cities, says visiting Dutch guest professor

Based at the Erasmus University Rotterdam, Scholten will spend his tenure at the Malmö Institute for Studies of Migration, Diversity and Welfare (MIM) research platform. While his background is in governance of migration and diversity, he is also the overall director of UNIC (The European University of Cities in Post-Industrial Transition).

Migration is a historical normality, I see this discourse which tries to make migration historically unique and abnormal but scientifically, I just cannot agree with that.

Peter Scholten

“Malmö is very much like Rotterdam, which is a vibrant city, it’s young and driven by popular culture, but it is also a city which is very divided and has a lot of inequalities. I see many parallels with Malmö, it’s like we are brother-sister cities,” says Scholten, who forged his connection with MIM through IMISCOE, Europe’s largest academic network of research institutes on migration, integration and social cohesion, which he was the director of for eight years.

“In these cities, you see the future taking shape,” he says, “Being universities in these types of cities means something different from other more traditional university towns.”

UNIC offers structures for international engagement and collaboration for researchers, and teachers. Its aim is to be the future of European education. “We see Europe turning a little bit more in itself, nations turning against Europe., but that’s a reason for a European university to exist more than ever.

“It makes sense for us to collaborate, if you look at how Malmö University operates with the city and its impact mission, not just science for science sake but science for society’s sake. I feel very much at home at a university like this where the language of impact is normalised and the connection with the city is incredibly strong.

“I think that this is something we should be proud of, this is a model where we have something to share with other universities in Europe, which are perhaps less experienced in catering high end education to first generation students – students whose parents did not go to university.”

He believes that universities in post-industrial cities are not just “surface level”, but also act as big employers and contribute greatly to start-ups and innovation. He will use his time at Malmö University to teach, advise doctoral students and focus on two current book projects concerning the governance of migration.

“The connection with migration is very deep in these cities. Migration is a historical normality, I see this discourse which tries to make migration historically unique and abnormal but scientifically, I just cannot agree with that.”
Scholten is keen to stress the relevance academia has in understanding the governance of migration: “We don’t just publish for academic journals, we have a role in the broader public debate; we have a responsibility to be there, to be a voice,” he adds.