“Match’In” Pilot Project: Policy Paper on the Results Published

How can the allocation process be made more suitable for people seeking protection and local authorities?
With the “Match’In” pilot project, FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg and the University of Hildesheim have been pursuing the goal over the last four years of making the official allocation process more suitable with the help of algorithm-supported matching together with partners from the field.

In addition to FAU, the University of Hildesheim, the relevant ministries and other partners in Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate were also involved. The project was funded by Stiftung Mercator.
In addition to the joint development of the matching system and its practical testing, the project was scientifically supported by the two universities. The focus was on the question of which aspects were relevant in the implementation of the new procedure – also in the different contexts of the federal states. The results provide an insight into the development and pilot phases. As part of a technology impact assessment, (possible) consequences of the use of a digital tool for the allocation of people seeking protection were discussed.

The results of this accompanying research have now been published in a policy paper. The scientific project team from the two universities came to the following key conclusions:

Match’In shows that municipalities actually “fit” different people differently. Allocation via Match’In is therefore a better fit than a predominantly randomized approach. Match’In makes it possible to include around 60 criteria in the allocation process. As a result, the administrative decision is much better suited to the complex reality of migration. Government action becomes more targeted and efficient. Match’In has been successfully tested in the normal allocation process of the participating federal states. This fulfills a key prerequisite for the expansion to the entire allocation system. At the same time, the previously time-consuming process of data collection can be further optimized. Match’In ensures increased transparency and traceability of the procedure. It is now more plausible for the relevant local authorities and those seeking protection why an allocation is made to a certain location and what procedure is behind it. Match’In provides certainty in the exercise of dutiful discretion. Employees in the referral authorities receive broader information on both sides and can exercise their discretion more systematically and comprehensively informed. Match’In enjoys broad acceptance among very different stakeholders, both among people who were open to the process from the outset and those who were initially skeptical about a technical solution. Municipalities in particular welcome the inclusion of their perspectives in distribution decisions, which was previously unusual.

The results can be read in detail in the policy paper at this link.