Date: April 21st 2021
Duration: 03:13:33
Location: Zoom
Organization:  Secretariat of State of the Portuguese Communities in co-organization with the Emigration Observatory and the Regional Council of the Portuguese Communities in Europe

In this colloquium, held with the aim of identifying and promoting studies, research and statistics for a broader knowledge of the economic potential of the Portuguese diaspora, four studies on emigration, diaspora and potential were presented after the opening speech of the Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities, Berta Nunes, and a round table was held where statistics and indicators for measuring the economic potential and contribution of the diaspora were discussed. The session ended with closing remarks by representatives of the Assembly of the Republic, the Emigration Observatory, the Regional Council of the Portuguese Communities in Europe, and the Office of the Secretary of State of the Portuguese Communities.

About the speakers:

Cristina Coelho is an economist, expert in consulting and business management, entrepreneurship and employment, business model and plan, fundraising and finance, micro-finance, benchmarking, monitoring and evaluation of local/rural development projects, design and coordination of transnational cooperation projects funded by the EU. She is currently coordinator of the Diaspora Investor Support Office (GAID). 

Inês Vidigal holds a degree in geography and a master's degree in European policies from IGOT-UL. Since 2014, she has been a research assistant at the Emigration Observatory, where she is responsible for the statistical data on the website and its communication to the general public. She is the editorial coordinator of the periodical publications, OEm Fact Sheets and Portuguese Emigration Factbook. She is co-author of several publications on emigration, including the statistical yearbook Portuguese Emigration. Statistical Report. She has participated in research projects related to migrations at IGOT-UL and Iscte. She worked on Pordata - Contemporary Portugal Database for three years, where she disseminated statistical information on social and economic indicators, in free access, for the civil society.

Joël Machado is a researcher at the Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research. He received his PhD in Economics from the Université catholique de Louvain in 2014. He worked as an AFR-FNR Postdoc fellow at CREA, University of Luxembourg, on his project: "The impact of migration policies on migrant selection and behavior". His current research interests include the effects of public policies on migrant behavior and the impact of migration flows on labor markets, economic development and inequality of both source and destination countries.

José Carlos Marques is a principal coordinating professor at the Polytechnic Institute of Leiria and researcher at the Centre for Social Studies, Coimbra, where he is part of the Migration Studies Centre. He is currently a member of the Scientific Council of the Emigration Observatory. His research interests have focused on international migration, migration policies, Portuguese migration flows, integration of immigrants, transnational practices of migrants, highly skilled migration, and the insertion of immigrants into Portuguese society. His most recent projects have studied current Portuguese emigration flows, discrimination practices in the labor market, and emigrants' attachment practices and policies.

Maria Ortelinda Barros Gonçalves is a researcher at CEPESE - Center for Population Studies, University of Porto. She has a PhD in Geography and a Post-Doctorate in Tourism and Regional Development, University of León in partnership with the Research Center CEPESE/University of Porto.

Pedro Candeias is a visiting assistant professor at the School of Sociology and Public Policy at Iscte. He has a PhD in sociology as part of the PhD program in Migration at the Institute of Social Sciences, University of Lisbon. He is currently a researcher at the Association for Research and Development of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, where he works on the project FEMINA Fertility, Migration and Acculturation: Intersectional approach to the sexual and reproductive experiences and expectations among Cape Verdean and Portuguese Families.

Pedro Rúpio is currently president of the Regional Council of the Portuguese Communities in Europe (CRCPE). He holds a degree in Marketing Management, a BA in Political Science from the Université Saint-Louis in Brussels and a Master's degree in Political Science from the Université Libre de Bruxelles with a final paper entitled Quel est l'impact de la structure des opportunités politiques sur la participation électorale des Portugais de Belgique aux élections communales?.

Rui Pena Pires is a professor at Iscte, where he completed his bachelor, master and doctoral studies in sociology and where he is a researcher at Cies_iscte. He has been scientific coordinator of the Emigration Observatory since 2009. Previously, he was director of the Sociology Department and Dean of Iscte. From 2007 to 2010 he was a member of the Management Board of the Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) of the European Union (EU). His research interests include sociological theories, international migration and sociology of development. He is the author of several publications, including the book Migrations and Integration: Theory and Applications to Portuguese Society (Celta 2003).

Sérgio Guerreiro is currently the senior director of knowledge management and innovation at Turismo de Portugal, being responsible for statistics, business intelligence, sustainability, entrepreneurship and innovation. He is also responsible for the Turismo 4.0 program, an integrated program to promote innovation in the tourism sector involving more than 350 startups. He is Chairman of the OECD Tourism Committee and Chairman of the Market Intelligence Group of the European Travel Commission.

About the moderators:

Carlota Moura Veiga holds a bachelor's and a master's degree in Political Science from Iscte. She did an internship at the Social Security and Labor Commission which led to her Master's thesis "The State and the family: family support policies and familism as factors of sustainability of the Portuguese welfare state". She worked for a year and a half at the Portuguese Embassy in Bern where she deepened her knowledge in the area of migration by working directly with the Portuguese community. Since 2017, she has been a research assistant at the Emigration Observatory. She is editorial coordinator of the periodicals, OEm Conversations With and Portuguese OEm Working Papers. 

Joana Azevedo is an assistant professor at the School of Sociology and Public Policy at the University Institute of Lisbon, Iscte, and an integrated researcher at the Center for Research and Studies in Sociology, Cies_iul. She is currently executive coordinator at the Emigration Observatory and co-founder of Rede Migra, a network of researchers on migration. She has a PhD in Theory and Social Research from Universita degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza" and a degree in Sociology from Iscte. Research interests: sociology of migration, Portuguese immigration and emigration, skilled migration, political participation and migration policies.

Rui Pena Pires is a professor at Iscte, where he completed his bachelor, master and doctoral studies in sociology and where he is a researcher at Cies_iscte. He has been scientific coordinator of the Emigration Observatory since 2009. Previously, he was director of the Sociology Department and Dean of Iscte. From 2007 to 2010 he was a member of the Management Board of the Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) of the European Union (EU). His research interests include sociological theories, international migration and sociology of development. He is the author of several publications, including the book Migrations and Integration: Theory and Applications to Portuguese Society (Celta 2003).