-
Knowledge at IOM
Connecting Knowledge and Action to Harness the Power of Migration
In a rapidly changing migration landscape where a demand for quick action is paramount, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) stands as a crucial broker of knowledge, expertise and insight. With over 70 years of experience, IOM continuously leverages its extensive knowledge and operational footprint to harness the potential of migration while providing vital support to the world’s most vulnerable population.
Supporting this vision, IOM champions a networked way of working in its knowledge management approach, strengthening synergies between IOM’s knowledge and that of its partners and stakeholders, to produce worldclass knowledge and influence programmatic and global policy discussions on migration. Leveraging IOM’s knowledge footprint is critical to support Member States, partners and stakeholders in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the objectives of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM), while aligning with the UN Secretary-General's Our Common Agenda and UN 2.0 Vision of promoting cutting-edge skills and forward-thinking culture.
In line with the IOM Strategic Plan 2024-2028, the effective generation and use of its knowledge ensures that IOM’s wisdom, expertise and innovative thinking are strategically and holistically employed to save lives and protect people on the move, drive solutions to displacement and facilitating regular migration pathways.
Knowledge Management Strategy 2024 – 2028
The Knowledge Management Strategy 2024–2028 promotes a coherent and systematic approach to leveraging knowledge to foster organizational effectiveness and transformative solutions in a rapidly changing migration landscape.
Knowledge Enablers
-
Knowledge diversity and inclusionIOM values its knowledge from diverse groups and promotes equitable access to information, collaboration opportunities, and expertise, which are fundamental for IOM, within the organization, its partners, and the beneficiaries it serves. Knowledge management in IOM is not only about practices and tools; it is an act of equity enabling an inclusive culture of knowledge sharing, learning, and equal access to knowledge that is intrinsically related to IOM's core values and mandate.
Knowledge diversity and inclusion
-
Networks of expertiseKnowledge is only effective when it circulates from people to people. IOM continuously invests in connecting people and their learning through both formal and informal exchanges and within curated communities of practice webinars and various discussion threads. IOM believes that embracing the ideas of community, collaboration, and networks of expertise is fundamental to providing sustainable programmes and policies for migrants.
Networks of expertise
-
Digital solutionsHaving a strong digital infrastructure and IT data governance enables effective KM to take place in a large organization with an extensive global presence. It ensures that coherent, accessible, and intuitive digital solutions are available to capture, store, share, and access knowledge.
Digital solutions
SAVING LIVES AND PROTECTING PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
Saving lives and protecting people on the move As global displacement reaches record levels, IOM responds to the most challenging crisis response contexts in the world by putting the safety, dignity and protection of people first. This entails collecting and using data and insights on the mobility, capabilities, vulnerabilities and needs of displaced, host and mobile population, to provide tailored responses.
DRIVING SOLUTIONS TO DISPLACEMENT
IOM goes beyond simply responding to crises to developing proactive and anticipatory strategies in addressing global displacement challenges. By leveraging migration expertise and private sector technology, IOM aims to develop data-driven capabilities to foresee migration patterns, collaborating with stakeholders to work towards common goals, including the reduction of risks and impacts of climate change and environmental degradation.
FACILITATING PATHWAYS FOR REGULAR MIGRATION
IOM assists states in establishing and expanding regular migration pathways while preventing the risks of irregular migration. Prioritizing whole-of-government, whole-of-society approaches, IOM safely connects people, resources, services, knowledge and innovation.
![Ecuador: Piloting virtual tools & an innovative model to support entrepreneurship for inclusion of migrants in vulnerable situations in Ecuador [in Spanish]](/sites/g/files/tmzbdl486/files/styles/medium_banner_thumbnail_format/public/images/resources/2024-04/ecuador-1.jpg?itok=4wd-6CA7)
IOM’s Knowledge Ecosystem
The IOM Guide to Knowledge Portal serves as a key resource to better navigate and utilize the available digital knowledge platforms, repositories, databases, and portals developed or co-developed by IOM.
IOM Knowledge Portals
IKM UNIT INITIATIVES
The Innovation and Knowledge Management (IKM) Unit is mandated to strengthen IOM’s innovation and knowledge management approach, supporting the generation, collection and dissemination of good practices, lessons learned and innovative approaches. The IKM Unit is at the center of developing a dynamic and people-centered knowledge ecosystem that promotes a culture of collaboration, learning, and innovation, facilitated by enhanced knowledge governance and digital solutions. Through its initiatives, the Unit ensures that knowledge becomes a central asset to support its staff members and improve and transform the lives of its beneficiaries across the world.
Cultivating a Culture of Knowledge Sharing and Learning
The IOM Knowledge Management Strategy 2024-2028 (to be adopted) emphasises on a dynamic and people-centered approach to sharing good practices and building on lessons learned to inform innovative and transformative approaches that address complex migration challenges.
At the heart of the KM Strategy is the Peer Exchange for Learning on Migration (POEM) Platform, serving as IOM’s knowledge exchange platform to consolidate local, regional, and global expertise across IOM, accelerate results and foster collaboration. POEM allows IOM staff to connect, share, and learn from good practices and lessons learned, build on innovative initiatives, and get a deeper understanding of IOM’s vast knowledge and programming.
*Only Accessible to IOM Staff
