About CReAM

CReAM at RFBerlin > About

CReAM@RFBerlin – the Centre for Research and Analysis on Migration at RFBerlin – advances and disseminates empirical research on migration and related economic and social issues.It brings together migration research conducted at RFBerlin, and at its sister institutions, the ROCKWOOL partner unit in Copenhagen and the Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (CReAM) at University College London.

Alongside its academic research, CReAM@FBerlin serves as a knowledge hub for policymakers and the wider public, making reliable data and evidence on migration accessible and relevant to public debate.

Specifically, we compile and present data on migration in Europe and around the world, address key questions in the public debate, conduct and track new research, and synthesise evidence on the economic and social outcomes of migrant and native-born populations.

CReAM@RFBerlin is directed by Prof. Christian Dustmann (University College London) and Prof. Tommaso Frattini (University of Milan).

Our Mission

CReAM’s mission is to provide a sound factual basis for public debate and enable people to form their own views on migration based on reliable evidence. By combining academic expertise with official data and rigorous empirical research, we aim to inform public debate and support evidence-based policymaking on migration and related economic and social issues.

Our Approach

Working with researchers across RFBerlin and our global network, CReAM develops novel research, regular reports, interactive data tools, and research resources that provide a transparent and accessible picture of migration and its economic and social dimensions.

Story

CReAM was established at University College London in 2002 by Prof. Christian Dustmann and Prof. Ian Preston to advance empirical research on migration and labour economics. It quickly became an important voice in both academic and public and policy debates on migration. By 2004, CReAM’s research and expertise had already attracted coverage from international media outlets, including the BBC, CNN, The Economist, The Guardian, and the International Herald Tribune, particularly in debates about the impact of migration on the receiving country and the enlargement of the European Union.

Over the following years, CReAM developed into an international research centre and network, connecting researchers and advancing empirical work on migration across Europe and beyond.

Building on this experience, Prof. Christian Dustmann established CReAM@RFBerlin in 2024, extending the CReAM network to Berlin. CReAM@RFBerlin combines academic expertise with a strong commitment to making research and data accessible to a wider audience, providing reliable evidence to inform public debate and policymaking on migration.