This week, Dr. Nooralhaq Nasimi MBE, Founder and Director of the Afghanistan and Central Asian Association (ACAA), took part in an inspiring interdisciplinary panel on “Data, Society and Policy” at Royal Holloway, University of London.
He was joined by fellow panellists Amelia Tomany, Rachel Graham (Active Lifestyle and Sport), and Rebecca Johns (Student Engagement Officer), who each brought unique perspectives on the use of data across diverse sectors.
Dr. Nasimi offered a compelling contribution rooted in both academic insight and lived experience as a refugee. He emphasised the vital role of qualitative data in shaping effective and inclusive policies, especially when working with marginalised communities.
Highlights from the discussion included:
The use of data to track refugee integration outcomes,
Ethical risks of data misinterpretation and the need for responsibility under GDPR,
Common misconceptions in immigration-related data and media coverage,
The realities of managing a non-profit immigration organisation,
And upcoming advocacy and policy initiatives, including a future collaboration with the Ministry of Justice.
Dr. Nasimi also reflected on the power of data to influence campaigns and decisions at ACAA, and the challenges of navigating data in policy-making while maintaining a people-centred approach.
Students praised the opportunity to hear from someone with a refugee background, with many expressing how meaningful it was to have real-life experience brought into an academic space.
Having received an Honorary Doctorate from Royal Holloway in July 2024, Dr. Nasimi continues to demonstrate the importance of bridging grassroots experience with evidence-based policy development.