Demystifying Common Myths About Migration

What are your first thoughts when you think about migration? Chances are innovation, entrepreneurship, risk-taking, and high patenting rates are not necessarily going to be top of your list. Yet, research shows that these characteristics are the ones migrants often display and excel at. 16% of Tech companies in Silicon Valley are owned by immigrants. The patenting rate of immigrants is also much higher than that of native citizens and is more than double in many cases in the States.

Melissa Siegel, Professor of Migration Studies at Maastricht University, dispels some commonly held myths about migration in this fourth episode of the student podcast by the School of Business and Economics, hosted by Louis Morgner. The message is clear, straightforward, balanced and evidenced.

In the video, Siegel also highlights the effective and impactful way in which social media can be harnessed to maximum effect. Getting the message across to the public is part of any academic or expert’s responsibility.

“If the public isn’t getting the message, that’s our fault, not theirs. Impact matters. We need to put our money where our mouth is. Academics need to get out there and share their knowledge.”