Foto Dr. Kwaku Arhin-Sam

Dr Dr. Kwaku Arhin-Sam

Director | Friedensau Institute for Evaluation
Lecturer | School of Social Sciences

Dr Dr. Kwaku Arhin-Sam
Ph.D., M.A., B.Ed.
Director | Friedensau Institute for Evaluation
Lecturer | School of Social Sciences

An der Ihle 5A
39291 Möckern-Friedensau

Raum: LÜP 307
Telefon: +49 (0) 3921-916-144
Fax: +49 (0) 3921-916-144
E-Mail:

Profile

Dr. Kwaku Arhin-Sam is the Director of the Friedensau Institute for Evaluation (FIFE) and a lecturer at the Faculty of Social Sciences. As an international migration and development specialist, he combines expertise in global development, sociology, education, monitoring and evaluation, strategic management and business development with over a decade of research, teaching, supervision and policy engagement. His research focuses on several key areas, including migration governance, return and reintegration, transnational migration, diasporas, policy analysis, identity politics, and monitoring and evaluation across Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean.

In his teaching, Dr. Arhin-Sam covers essential topics such as Migration Governance and Practice, Migration and Development, Development Economics, Empirical Research Methods, and the Monitoring and Evaluation of Humanitarian Interventions. He supervises a diverse portfolio of international research and theses related to migration, gender, humanitarian policy, and socio-economic development. Dr. Arhin-Sam holds a PhD in Development Sociology from Constructor (Jacobs) University and the University of Bremen in Germany. He is also an associate fellow at the Arnold Bergstraesser Institute in Freiburg, Germany, and serves on the Diaspora Advisory Board for the GIZ/BMZ Migration for Development (MEG) program.

Icon PlusEducation

2014-2018

PhD | Bremen International Graduate School of Social Sciences (BIGSSS), Jacobs University and University of Bremen, Germany
2016Certificate | Geographical Information Systems (GIS) & Remote Sensing, United Nations University, Legon, Ghana
2010-2013M.A | International Social Science, Friedensau Adventist University, Germany
2004–2008B.Ed. | Social Science, University of Cape Coast, Ghana

Icon PlusEmployment

Since 2016

Freelance Consultant for  Development Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Organizational Development (Project Monitoring and Evaluations, Social and Development Policy Analysis, Project Management, Capacity Building Trainings)
2019Researcher, West Africa Migration Governance (WAMIG), Arnold-Bergstraesser-Institut, Freiburg, Germany
2014Scientific Research Assistant, Department for Social Anthropology, University of Bayreuth, Germany
2013–2014Research Associate, Faculty of Social Science, Friedensau Adventist University, Germany
2009–2010Teaching/Administrative Assistant, Faculty of Arts, University of Cape Coast, Ghana

Icon PlusProfessional Engagements

Since 2019 Associate Fellow, Arnold-Bergstraesser-Institut-Freiburg
Since 2018Founder (Non-executive Director), Centre for Return and i-Migration (CRIM), Valley  View University, Techiman Campus, Ghana
2017–2019Consultant, Friedensau International Admissions project, Friedensau Adventist University, Germany
2019External Consultant and Evaluator, Give them a Chance Project, Petit-Guave, Haiti for ADRA Switzerland and ADRA Haiti
2012aExternal Evaluation Consultant: ADRA International, Haiti, 2012 Network-funded Earthquake Response, ADRA International in Haiti
2012bProgramme Monitoring and Evaluation Consultant, ADRA Ghana, Ghana, 2012
2012cImpact assessment Consultant, ADRA Ghana Microfinance Program, Ghana
2011Project Monitoring consultant on Sinti and Roma Community Project for ADRA Germany, ADRA Ukraine.

Icon PlusSelected Publications

Books:

Arhin-Sam, K. (2019) "Return Migration, Reintegration and Sense of Belonging; The Case of Skilled Ghanaian Returnees"; Baden-Baden, Germany; Nomos Publications.

Academic reports and Articles:

Arhin-Sam, K., (2019) " The Political Economy of Migration Governance in Nigeria"; Freiburg; Arnold Bergstraesser Institute.
Arhin-Sam, K., & Zanker, F., (2019) “Nigeria at a Crossroads: The Political Stakes of Migration Governance”; MEDAM Policy Brief No. 2019/4, IfW, Kiel
Arhin-Sam, K.  Zanker, F.,  Altrogge, J., &  Jegen, L., (2019) "Challenges in EU-African Migration Cooperation: West African Perspectives on Forced Return";MEDAM Policy Brief No. 2019/4, IfW, Kiel
Arhin-Sam, K. (2013) "Clients and Microfinance services: Views from bellow"; AKEZ Working Papers, Vol. 2; Friedensau, Germany.

Technical reports:

Arhin-Sam, K. (2020), "Statelessness Reduction and Community sensitisation in Thailand" Annual project evaluation report; ADRA Switzerland
Arhin-Sam, K., Daphline J. (2019). “Give Them A Chance:  Education for Restavek Children in Haiti"; Interim Evaluation Report; ADRA Switzerland.
Arhin-Sam, K. (2017). International Students Admission Processes in Friedensau and Germany ,Friedensau Adventist University, Germany
Arhin-Sam, K. Ndikumana, S. (2012). The 2010 Haiti Earthquake and ADRA’s Relief projects Evaluation research report presented to the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) -International, U.S. A
Arhin-Sam, K. (2012) Review of ADRA-Ghana’s Microfinance Program. Research report presented to ADRA Ghana.

Icon PlusResearch projects (Academic)

DatesRole DescriptionFunder
OngoingPrincipal InvestigatorAssessing the socio-political, economic, and demographic situation and resources in the Jerichower Land, Municipality of Saxony-Anhalt, GermanyFunded by the German Federal Ministry for Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth
OngoingPrincipal ResearcherAssessing the lived experiences of immigrants in Germany -
2023Lead ResearcherAnalysing Germany’s new migration policy and its implications for African countriesFunded by the African Research Institute, Germany
2023Principal Researcher Examining the EU-migration partnership with NigerFunded by Brot für die Welt and Misereor
2021Principal ResearcherAssessing the actors and interests in the Ghana–EU migration partnershipFunded by the German Council for Foreign Relations
2020–2021Principal InvestigatorAssessing the impact of COVID-19 on academic and student life in FriedensauFunded by Friedensau Adventist University
2020Principal InvestigatorAnalyzing the emerging developments from the EU’s migration action plan for NigeriaFunded by Migration Control.info
2019–2020Principal InvestigatorThe political economy of migration governance in NigeriaFunded by the Mercator Dialogue on Asylum and Migration (MEDAM)
2019–2020Co-ResearcherWest Africa Migration Governance (WAMIG)Funded by the Mercator Dialogue on Asylum and Migration (MEDAM)
2019Co-InvestigatorAssessing the West African perspectives on challenges in EU-Africa migration cooperationFunded by the Mercator Dialogue on Asylum and Migration (MEDAM)
2014–2018Principal ResearcherReturn migration, belonging and reintegration of skilled return Ghanaians from Europe and North AmericaGerman Government Excellence Initiative

Icon PlusPresentations

  • Migration Governance and The Politics Of Shaming; Nigeria And Irregular Migration, at Governing Migration outside ‘Fortress Europe’ conference at University of Cambridge, 16–17 September 2019.
  • ‘Conceptualising Sense of Belonging’ paper presented at the third CEGRAD, UCC Summer School on the Engendered Politics of Place and Belonging Pempamsie Hotel, Cape Coast 16th – 27th July 2018.
  • ‘Return Migration and Qualitative Research’ paper presented at the Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung (WZB) Summer School on Good Work in Academia, Berlin, 28th May – 1st June, 2018.
  • ‘Interrogating Citizenship and Perceptions: Ghana’s Movers and Stayers Paradox’ paper presented at the International Migration Conference, Centre for Migration Studies, Legon, Ghana, 26th – 27th October 2017.
  • ‘Return Migration and Post-return Perceptions’ paper presented at African Studies Association of Africa (ASAA) Conference, Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana, 12th – 14th October 2017.
  • ‘Returnees and Land Conflicts in Ghana” paper presented at the second CEGRAD, UCC Summer School on Intersectional Perspectives on Pastoralism, Migration and Displacement, Cape Coast 24th July– 4th August 2017.
  • Panel on Land commodification, Land tenure and Gender in Africa at the 7th European Conference on African Studies (ECAS) 2017 with the theme: Urban Africa - Urban Africans: New encounters of the rural and the urban, Centre for African Studies Basel, Switzerland 29th June – 1st July, 2017. Panel Chair.
  • Curriculum review workshop for the M.A. in International Social Science, Theologische Hochschule Friendensau, Germany. Resource Person, 24th March –4th April 2017.
  • ‘Trajectories of Return: Returnees in The Eyes of Others’ paper presented at the German Sociological Congress under the section: Entwicklungssoziologie und Sozialanthropologie Offene Gesellschaften? Lebenswelten von Flüchtlingen im Globalen Süden, University of Bamberg, Germany, 27th – 29th September 2016.
  • Cape Coast Harmattan School on Re-Activating Gender-Sensitive Research on Land: Land Commoditization, Land Tenure and Gender in Africa, held at the Sasakawa Conference Centre, UCC, Cape Coast, Ghana, February to March 2016. Facilitator.
  • Summer School on Doing and Communicating Qualitative Research, participation and presentation of research methods, Kingston University London, United Kingdom, 4th – 8th July 2016; Participant.
  • ‘From Integration to Reintegration; A Conceptual Framing’ dissertation presentation at the Innovative Learning Week, Firbush Retreat for PhD Researchers, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, 15th – 17th February 2016.
  •  ‘Conceptualizing Reintegration and Sense of Belonging; An Analytical Model for Return Migration’ paper presented at the International Conference on Labour Migration and Industrial Citizenship: Albanians on the Move – Citizenship, Identity and Development, University of New York Tirana, Albania, 23rd – 25th June 2015.

Icon PlusTeaching

Since 2013Adjunct lecturer, School of Social Sciences, Friedensau Adventist University

M.A Courses:

Development Economics

Social Research Methods

Migration and Refugee studies

Working Approaches in Humanitarian Aid

Science and Innovation management

Interdisciplinary Analysis of Development Cooperation

2017–2018 Winter semesterCo-Lecturer, University of Bremen, Germany

B.A. Course

Sociology in English

2017–2018 Winter semesterCo-Lecturer, Jacobs University Bremen, Germany

B.A. Course

Academic and Professional Skills, A University-wide Foundation Course

2008–2010Teaching Assistant

B.Ed/BCom Dstance education Course

Management Information Systems (MIS)

Icon PlusProfessional Memberships

Since 2017Member: African Studies Association of Africa
Since 2017Member: African Migration, Mobility, and Displacement (AMODI)
Since 2017Member: Africa-Europe Group for Interdisciplinary Studies (AEGIS)
Since 2017Co-Editor, AKEZ Working Papers