Activities and Events

In January 2022, COA launched its International Knowledge Platform with a vision: to stimulate collaboration across borders, by sharing knowledge, experiences and best practices and by learning from each other. Here you can find more information about our activities and events.

Read Here: Insights from the Cypriot Delegation's Visit to COA

From October 21 to 24, the International Knowledge Platform of the COA welcomed a delegation from Cyprus. This group consisted of three employees from the organization responsible for the guardianship, reception, and support of unaccompanied minor asylum seekers (UMAs) in Cyprus. Their goal was to study the Dutch approach in this area and gain valuable insights. The program included inspiring presentations and site visits.

Continue reading below the picture.

Study visit from Cyprus to The Netherlands

Take a look: Video compilation of the IKP Event on Labour Participation by Applicants of International Protection 2024

Click here to watch the video

Retrospective and Digital Goodiebag on the International Event on Labour Participation 2024

Below you will find a retrospective report of the International Event on Labour Participation. Looking for the Digital Goodiebag? Please click here.

Study visit by Conselho Português Para os Refugiados (CPR) from Portugal to The Netherlands

After a successful internship last November, where five COA colleagues visited Portugal, five colleagues from the Conselho Português Para os Refugiados (CPR) came from Portugal to visit the COA in the Netherlands. From the 11th until the 15th of March they had the opportunity to take a look behind the scenes at the reception center in Utrecht.

You can read the report of the study visit here:

Study visit from CPR to The Netherlands

Take a look: A video compilation of the international event on sustainability in asylum reception 2023.

Click here to watch the video.

24-10-2023

Inspiration from Norway

In September, a delegation of COA employees explored the Norwegian integration program for asylum seekers. They returned from Norway inspired, with new ideas to implement in the Dutch context.

You can read the article in the file below.

 19-10-2023

COA trains counterparts in Egypt

Two experts from the Dutch Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (in short: COA) travelled to Egypt to train 25 Egyptian professionals who work on asylum issues from different angles. The topic of the training was identification, assessment and referral of persons with special needs who apply for international protection. This training was organized by the European Union Agency for Asylum (in short: EUAA) in the framework of its Roadmap for Cooperation with Egypt. The workshop took place on September 11th 2023 in Ain Sokhna, on the shores of the Red Sea. One of the two COA experts was Maartje Holdorp, Policy Advisor on Vulnerability. The other one was Marcel van der Heijden, Project Manager of the International Knowledge Platform. EUAA covered the costs of this trip and expressed its thanks and appreciation for the contribution from COA.

Read the whole article in the file below.

11-09-2023

A workvisit to Portugal

Across the bridge and beyond the bustling city, it is a cloudy day amidst a sunny week in May of 2023, as I arrive at the first stop of the day in the Lisbon suburb of Bobadela - the Portuguese Council for Refugees or Conselho Portugues para os Refugiados (CPR)’s original asylum reception centre. The centre was first built in 1999 for 21 persons, and in 2006 it was reconstructed to accommodate 42 asylum seekers.

Currently this centre houses approximately 100 persons; the library has turned into a safe haven for a mother and her baby, and some sleep on pull-out couches in the common living room adjacent to the shared kitchen – an unfortunate necessity at this time. CPR is a non-governmental organisation that for the past 30+ years has sought to support and house those that seek asylum in Portugal. 

Read the whole article in the file below.

06-06-2023

International internship on the MS Galaxy Amsterdam

In the first week of June 2023, the first short internship took place organized by the International Knowledge Platform of COA International. Four reception workers from Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway and Belgium came to the emergency reception location in Amsterdam, the MS Galaxy, to see how COA receives and guides asylum seekers. Sarah van de Meent welcomed them on behalf of COA and put together an interesting program for exchange of knowledge and inspiration.

14-03-2023

The videos of the conference on the support of UAM are online!

On the 4th of October 2022 European colleagues gathered in the Netherlands and online to discuss themes around the support of the unaccompanied minors with little to no chance to obtain asylum.

The day was filled with interesting presentations and interactive discussions on the topics:
1. Criminal Exploitation among UAM
2. Substance Use among UAM
3. Study and work possibilities
4. Support Strategies

Watch the recaps per theme here! And share the videos with other professionals in your network.

17-10-2022

‘I don’t feel alone anymore.’

The first COA AMIF IKP event turned out to be a great success. The IKP is COA's new International Knowledge Platform. On Tuesday October 4th and Wednesday October 5th 2022, a select group of professionals in the field of unaccompanied minors from various European countries gathered in Maastricht at the invitation of the COA AMIF IKP to share experiences and learn from each other. They were professionals who work with unaccompanied minors on a daily basis, in reception centres, as well as researchers, policy makers and police officers. 

06-02-2023

A studyvisit from Lithuania

Lithuania is working on a new asylum reception system, taking the Dutch approach as an example. A recent study visit to our country was one of the steps in that process.

21-12-2022

A studyvisit from Romania  

On December 13 and 14, a group of site managers and policy specialists from Romania visited the Netherlands for a study trip. They were mostly interested in learning about the criteria that we as COA set for new locations to be opened, how we monitor the quality of the reception, how we plan for capacity, and how we subsequently reach agreements with third parties.

19-12-2022

A studyvisit to Athens, EUAA

Arjenne Plaizier and Elles Maaskant paid a working visit to Athens. This in the context of the European reception network of EUAA. EUAA is the European Agency for Asylum and Migration. They periodically organize meetings for government organizations that deal with asylum reception and guidance of asylum seekers.

14-11-2022

A studyvisit from Turkey

On November 7, the COA welcomed a delegation from the Turkish Migration Management Authority PMM (Presidency of Migration Management, in Turkish: Göç İdaresi Başkanlığı). They came to see and learn from our experiences with "promising matching", also known as screening and matching. The visit was a follow-up to the presentations that COA gave on this subject earlier this year in Ankara.