Hugo Population and Migration Studies Program
Throughout history populations have changed and people have moved. These demographic basics shape public policy, and in turn are shaped by public policy.
Named for acclaimed demographer Professor Graeme Hugo the Hugo Population and Migration Studies program brings together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to address critical migration and population challenges on local, national, and international dimensions.
Our research advances knowledge and informs migration and social policy decision-making, practice, and public debate in Australia and other parts of the world (especially the Asia-Pacific region). We integrate insights across disciplines and partnerships with governments, NGOs, industries, businesses, and communities.
Three themes focus our research:
- Demographic transition and policy implications for population growth and ageing, supply of and demand for the labour force, urban planning, regional development, service provisions in health and aged care, housing, education, and other aspects.
- Migration, diaspora, transnational linkages, and diversity.
Some critical issues related to:- Capture the global migration trends and patterns post the COVID-19 pandemic, and facilitate Australian policy discussions that cater to migration-related challenges – migrants' mobility, employment, health, social integration, and vulnerable groups – to achieve a sustainable recovery from the pandemic.
- Analyse causal mechanisms and processes that shape the nature of Australia-based diaspora populations (migrants and their descendants), diasporic linkages, and their impact on the economic, socio-cultural, and political development of Australia and diasporas’ origin countries.
- Engage Asian-Australians and the Asian diaspora groups in Australia and talented Australian diaspora communities overseas more effectively in pursuing economic engagement with Asia
- Climate (environmental) change and human mobility (migration, relocation, displacement).
Some critical issues:- Assess the likely impact of climate (environmental) change on migration patterns, trends, and population distribution.
- Identify hotspots and vulnerable communities in urban and rural settings and locate the gaps that require support for migrants and displaced people.
- Examine how migration, displacement and resettlement can serve as positive measures for climate adaptation.
- Investigate how migration governance, policy, and practice reflect the significance of climate change, environmental degradation and disaster factors on human mobility.
For more information, contact the HPMS program director: Associate Professor Yan Tan Yan yan.tan@adelaide.edu.au.
Our people
Associate Professor Yan Tan Yan
Yan Tan is an Associate Professor at the Department of Geography, Environment and Population, The University of Adelaide. Yan’s research lies at the interface of population and environmental studies, focusing on mobility (migration, displacement, resettlement) and on evolving high-end demographic measures and econometric models for climate change–migration–development nexus.
Her most recent projects explore the interplay of environmental, demographic, socio-economic and institutional factors in climate (environmental) change, population mobility, and adaptation. She seeks critical depth concerning this relationship and translation into effective policy to reduce inequality, enhance adaptive capacity, improve ecosystem services, and promote reasonable migration that is beneficial to sustainable urbanisation and rural development.
Her current ARC Discovery project explores the relationship between international migration, multi-scalar (micro, meso, macro) and multi-dimensional linkages of migrants (diasporas), and development outcomes in both origin and destination countries. Her work has focused on China, Australia, and some other parts of the Asia-Pacific region.