doc. PhDr. Pavol Kopinec, PhD. is Associate Professor and Head of the Innovation Centre at the Faculty of Education, Comenius University in Bratislava. His academic and project work focuses on migration, with particular emphasis on the protection of children and vulnerable migrant populations. His research explores the intersections of migration policy, child welfare, social work, and institutional care systems.

Dr. Kopinec has collaborated with the Migration Office of the Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on the development and implementation of an integrated system of material and social assistance for unaccompanied minors and asylum seekers. He has also served as a member of the Separated Children in Europe Programme, a European network dedicated to the research and protection of separated and unaccompanied children.

As an expert consultant for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), he has contributed to institutional capacity building and the promotion of best practices among public authorities engaged in migration governance, with a strong focus on the needs of vulnerable migrant populations.

During the humanitarian crisis resulting from the war in Ukraine, Dr. Kopinec led a UNICEF-supported project aimed at strengthening the response capacities of frontline services. This initiative, based on multidisciplinary cooperation, brought together professionals in social work, law, psychology, education, and public administration. It emphasized training, supervision, and the systematic development of the social service workforce, with the goal of enhancing protection mechanisms for displaced children and other vulnerable migrant groups.

In addition to his research and project activities, Dr. Kopinec is an active academic at Comenius University. He serves as a guarantor of accredited bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral study programs in social work. He is also the author of multiple scholarly publications in the areas of asylum policy, case management, rights-based approaches to migration and vulnerable child protection.

 

PUBLICATIONS

 

Selected Research and Applied Projects – Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pavol Kopinec, PhD.

CROSS-ACCESS (2025–2027)
Inclusive Systems Transformation for Migrants Experiencing Disability-Related Disadvantage
Role: network coordinator | Budget: €100,000 | Team: Comenius University in Bratislava, University of Galway, Georg-August University Göttingen, Uppsala University

CROSS-ACCESS is an interdisciplinary network whose vision is to shape inclusive, participatory, and systemically interconnected approaches within health, legal, social, and pedagogical systems in order to better respond to the needs of migrants experiencing disability-related disadvantage. The project integrates knowledge from migration studies, equity, global health, inclusive education, and participatory methods to support the transformation of institutions toward fair, accessible, and coordinated solutions. The network collaborates with communities, organisations of persons experiencing disadvantage, and experts across countries with the aim of developing sustainable models of practice and strengthening the capacities of universities within the ENLIGHT alliance.

APVV-24-0408 (2025–2029)
Internationalization of Higher Education and the Well-being of International Students at Selected Slovak Universities
Role: Project Coordinator | Budget: €295,270 | Team: 11 researchers
The project conducts a comprehensive analysis of the academic, sociocultural, and procedural challenges faced by international students at the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava and Comenius University in Bratislava, and maps existing support mechanisms. Its aim is to identify barriers, examine interactions between domestic and international students, and develop recommendations to improve university support and integration systems.

UNICEF (2022–2024)
Supporting social work interventions with the refugee population and strengthening the overall social service workforce capacity within the refugee response in Slovakia
Role: Project Coordinator | Budget: €467,000 | Team: 25 professionals
This national project, supported by UNICEF, focused on strengthening social work interventions and the overall social service workforce in response to the refugee crisis in Slovakia. It delivered training and supervision for over 400 humanitarian workers, coordinated 50 volunteers, and developed the Innovation Centre concept. Key outputs included a sociological analysis of the Migration Office’s capacity, four professional publications, an accredited e-learning platform for social work education, and an international conference aimed at bridging the gap between academic research and practical humanitarian work.

KEGA 019UK-4/2018
Bridging Health and Social Care for Post-Hospital Patients
Role: Deputy Project Coordinator | Budget: €10,000
This applied research project addressed systemic gaps between hospital discharge and social care provision in Slovakia. It delivered an analytical review of hospital staffing, discharge procedures, and their linkage to community-based support services, offering evidence for policy-level integration of health and social systems.

Visegrad Fund Small Grant No. 11540103 (2016)
Migration and Its Impacts on V4 Countries
Role: Co-Coordinator | Budget: €11,500
This international project facilitated cross-national dialogue on migration governance among the Visegrad Group countries—Hungary, Slovakia, Czechia, and Poland—bringing together academic representatives and policymakers. The project culminated in a high-level conference and published proceedings highlighting best practices across the four countries.

VEGA 1/0462/14
Youth Delinquency in Slovakia: A National Self-Report Study
Role: Co-Investigator | Budget: €16,208
A large-scale empirical investigation into the socio-behavioral determinants of youth delinquency in Slovakia. The project contributed to the development of evidence-based interventions and preventive strategies for at-risk youth populations.

VEGA 1/0221/11
Evaluating Resocialization Outcomes in Slovak Rehabilitation Centres
Role: Co-Investigator | Budget: €18,200
This research assessed the long-term outcomes of clients undergoing resocialization programs in Slovakia, offering a systematic evaluation of national reintegration services for individuals with complex psychosocial needs.

IOM SK 2010 EIF P1 P2 P3 P4/12IP
Migration Information Centre – Integration Support for Foreigners
Role: Consultant for Capacity Building | Trained Professionals: 150
Implemented by IOM, this national project focused on improving the integration of migrants in Slovakia through institutional support and professional development. It included the training of 150 public sector professionals to enhance service delivery, build intercultural competence, and strengthen cooperation across sectors.

INTEGRACE Project (2010)
Integrating Refugee Children into EU Education Systems
Role: National Coordinator
This policy-focused project, led by the Center for the Study of Democracy, informed European Commission frameworks on education and asylum. The research shaped EU-level guidelines for the inclusion of refugee children in national education systems.

SK ERF II – European Refugee Fund / UNHCR (2006–2007)
Comprehensive Services for Asylum Seekers in Slovakia
Role: Coordinator | Budget: €700,000 | Staff: 50
This large-scale project provided social, legal, and psychological support to asylum seekers, with a focus on unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups. Activities included frontline assistance, leisure-time programming, and data collection for international agencies, including the European Commission, IOM, UNHCR, and the Slovak Ministry of Interior.

Community Action Project JLS/2005/ERF/018
Good Practices for Unaccompanied Minors (UAMs)
Role: Coordinator | Budget: €4,000
A targeted initiative that documented best practices for supporting unaccompanied minors in Europe. Data collection and analysis informed institutional standards for care, protection, and integration pathways.

SK ERF I – European Refugee Fund / Migration Office of the Ministry of Interior (2004–2005)
Protection of Unaccompanied Minors in the Slovak Asylum System
Role: Coordinator | Budget: €400,000 | Staff: 25
This foundational initiative aimed to improve the protection of unaccompanied minors in asylum procedures. The project involved direct support services, research, and policy recommendations, with findings submitted to key stakeholders including the European Commission, IOM, UNHCR, and the Slovak Ministry of Interior.