Znanje na djelu together with the Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar is conducting a pilot study “Croatia’s potential: Remigration, (temporary) return, and change agency of a young high- skilled generation” in the period from 15 January 2021 to 15 December 2021. Pilot study is funded by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. Research project leader is Caroline Hornstein Tomić, PhD, (Scientific Adviser at the Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar; Chair of the Management board at Znanje na djelu), while Dora Bagić (World Bank and Znanje na djelu) and Maja Kurilić (Znanje na djelu) are research assistants.
The focus of the pilot study is to explore the contribution of new ideas, resources and competencies of people with migration experience and to explore how they are accepted in the workplace, social networks or in the private sphere (family, partners, friends) after returning to Croatia. Accordingly, the study analyzes the responses of state agencies and institutions, as well as NGOs in Croatia on highly qualified (re)migration and temporary return.
In the scope of the project 30 semi-structured interviews will be conducted, together with a minimum of three focus groups with young high-skilled (temporary) returnees and with digital nomads. It is planned to conduct expert interviews with representatives of organizations dealing with returnees and the Croatian diaspora and to conduct media discourse analysis related to the topic of (re)migration. The ultimate goal of the project is to improve understanding of the topic of (re)migration and to explore what conditions need to be provided for young, highly-skilled (re)migrants to use their potential as agents of change in social, transformational processes. The results of the pilot study will be presented in a publication and publicly presented at the end of 2021.
