| Summary: | <p class="first" id="d209352e252">Migration is one of the defining issues of the 21st century. Better data is required
to improve understanding about how and why people are moving, target interventions
and support evidence-based migration policy. Big data, defined as large, complex data
from diverse sources, is regularly proposed as a solution to help address current
gaps in knowledge. The authors participated in a workshop held in London, UK, in July
2019, that brought together experts from the United Nations (UN), humanitarian non-governmental
organisations (NGOs), policy and academia to develop a better understanding of how
big data could be used for migration research and policy. We identified six key areas
regarding the application of big data in migration research and policy: accessing
and utilising data; integrating data sources and knowledge; understanding environmental
drivers of migration; improving healthcare access for migrant populations; ethical
and security concerns around the use of big data; and addressing political narratives.
We advocate the need for careful consideration of the challenges faced by the use
of big data, as well as increased cross-disciplinary collaborations to advance the
use of big data in migration research whilst safeguarding vulnerable migrant communities.
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