Back to Contents 17. Appendices A. Methodology Step 1: Scoping for research topics The scoping phase will identify what the most pressing COI gaps are for UK asylum applicants and therefore which topics of Strategic COI reports have the potential to benefit both a large number of applicants and those most vulnerable to poor decision making. To identify the most pressing topics for our research reports, Asylos will: • • Regularly consult their networks of legal representatives and refugee community organisations that support asylum seekers in the RSD procedure (asking partners to specify why exactly the topic is so important, asking them to point to Home Office country specific asylum policy known as Country Policy and Information Notes (CPINs) and Reasons for Refusal Letters (RFRLs) where appropriate) Launch an open call for topic suggestions and disseminate it to its respective lists of subscribers. In addition, Asylos will: • • • • Monitor such forums as the Statelessness Forum and Refugee Legal Group and the Refugee on an ongoing basis Monitor the requests it receives for research assistance on individual cases Record the statistics for common themes in the reports it produces for individual cases Invite suggestions from partners who have requested our services as part of the ongoing feedback collection. Asylos will assess which topics to select on the basis of greatest potential impact, with reference to analysis of: • • • • The number of asylum seekers generated by nationality (UK asylum statistics are not published on convention ground/profile) Appeal success rates by nationality any existing upcoming Country Guidance (CG) cases that the Tribunal is to hear [to avoid duplication] A need for an evidence base to challenge existing CPINs [e.g. where it relies on outdated or uncorroborated COI]. Throughout the scoping exercise, we will approach actors that represent groups particularly vulnerable to information gaps and thus poor-quality decision-making, such as women, children and young people. In addition, Asylos will set up a Steering Committee who will assist in the selection and prioritisation of strategic research report topics, as well as manage any risks arising from the project. Members of the committee will be approached at least once during the early project phase in order to review and comment on the planned methods and execution. The Steering Committee consists of the following members: Walaa Kayyal (MEAL Specialist, Danish Refugee Council), Judith Carter (Solicitor and Lecturer at Liverpool Law Center), Shahd Qannam (Research Student at City, University of London), Thomas McGee (PhD researcher at the Peter McMullin Centre on Statelessness) and Elizabeth Ruddick (Senior Protection Associate, UNHCR). Step 2: Identifying preliminary Terms of Reference (ToR) Once a research topic has been chosen, the following steps will be taken in order to identify the preliminary research headings (i.e. draft ToR): • • • • Read relevant Country Guidance (CG) cases from tribunal (identifying which evidence is outdated) Read relevant Home Office Country Policy and Information Notes (CPINs) Reference other COI guidance/policy publications from international organisations such as EUAA, UNHCR as well as sources from media, human rights organisations and academic research Include input from other stakeholders (project partners). The draft ToR will be drawn up by Asylos Programme Manager(s), providing input from their topic scoping activities. 17. Appendices 145