Research Focus and Objective
The Research Centre Immigration & Asylum Law (FZAA = Forschungszentrum Ausländer- & Asylrecht) at the University of Konstanz concentrates on German, European and international immigration and asylum law and its interdisciplinary merits. The Research Centre engages in common projects with international partners and close collaboration with policy-making and legal practice.
More specifically, the FZAA focuses on the Europeanisation of migration law in the areas of: immigration; asylum; visa and border protection; freedom of movement of EU citizens; citizenship and nationality; as well as the social integration of migrants. Special consideration is given to the formation, implementation and implications of EU harmonisation measures, their relationship with international law, in particular human rights, and the conceptual underpinning of the cross-border movement of people. Activities comprise Events, Research Projects and Publications.
The FZAA was founded by Prof. em. Dr. Dr. h.c. Kay Hailbronner in 1994 as a university research facility to look into the emerging Europeanisation of asylum and immigration law. It quickly developed into one of the leading research establishments in Germany and Europe. Since 2010, Prof. Dr. Daniel Thym (Chair of Public, European and International Law at the University of Konstanz) serves as Co-Director. The FZAA cooperates with the National Centre of Excellence 'Cultural Foundations of Social Integration and the Institute for Empirical Research in Law (Rechtstatsachenforschung), both based at the Konstanz University.