Utrecht's Plan Einstein celebrates a decade of integrating asylum seekers through community building
Utrecht’s Plan Einstein marks ten years of transforming asylum seeker reception into a community-driven model. Residents and newcomers collaborate in activities, education, and sports, fostering mutual support and easing integration challenges for over 1,800 asylum seekers in the city.
| Key Data Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Program Name | Plan Einstein |
| Launch Year | 2016 |
| Current Reception Spots | 1,805 (1,705 regular, 100 for Unaccompanied Minor Refugees) |
| 2026 Allocation | 1,843 spots (1,726 regular, 117 for AMV) |
| Locations in Utrecht | Joseph Haydnlaan, Vlampijpstraat, Pahud des Mortangesdreef |
| European Adoption | Suceava (Romania), Warsaw (Poland), Coimbra (Portugal), Thessaloniki (Greece), Zagreb (Croatia) |
| Notable Initiative | Refugee football team in KNVB league with PVC club support |
The Municipality of Utrecht, in collaboration with the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA), plays a pivotal role in shaping asylum reception policies. Plan Einstein reflects Utrecht’s commitment to innovative, community-focused integration strategies that benefit both newcomers and local residents.
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Read the full translated article below
Ten years of Plan Einstein: Utrecht's response to asylum seeker reception
In 2016, Plan Einstein was developed in response to debates about new reception locations for asylum seekers. Utrecht devised an innovative approach to integrating asylum seekers: Plan Einstein. A decade later, we can look back on successful pioneering, collaboration with (local) partners and the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA), a growing network of newcomers and local residents, and European adoption of the model.
Rik van der Graaf, Alderman for Asylum: “What Plan Einstein aims to do is encourage, activate, and motivate both newcomers and local residents to take action and remain engaged. To give them the confidence that, through Plan Einstein, they can build their futures and pick up the threads of their lives again, so they can fend for themselves. This way, asylum seekers and local residents work together to foster encounters, build social networks, personal development, and create a future—wherever that may be in the world.”
Number of places according to the dispersal law
All asylum reception locations in Utrecht are designed according to the Plan Einstein principle (Joseph Haydnlaan, Vlampijpstraat), and where possible, housing options for regular tenants have also been developed (Pahud des Mortangesdreef). Currently, Utrecht has 1,805 reception spots available, of which 1,705 are designated for regular asylum reception and 100 for Unaccompanied Minor Refugees (AMV). On February 27, 2026, Utrecht received a new allocation from the national government for 1,843 spots in 2026, including 1,726 for regular reception and 117 for AMV. The Plan Einstein offer is available to all people received in Utrecht and their neighborhoods.
Ten years of Plan Einstein
Over the past decade, Plan Einstein has become a permanent part of the collaboration with the COA and a key approach to asylum reception in Utrecht. One of its core principles is that it must also benefit the neighborhood. This is reflected in the numerous courses and activities organized. Residents report feeling better equipped to handle the stress of the reception center and the lengthy asylum procedures. In 2025, a refugee football team was even formed with young adult newcomers, participating in the KNVB league with the support of volunteers and football club PVC.
European adoption
The European cities of Suceava (Romania), Warsaw (Poland), Coimbra (Portugal), Thessaloniki (Greece), and Zagreb (Croatia) are exploring, under Utrecht’s leadership, how the Plan Einstein approach can be implemented in their cities. Van der Graaf: “For years, Utrecht has shown that reception can be more than just shelter. With Plan Einstein, we are building neighborhoods where newcomers and local residents truly meet and strengthen each other. That this approach is now gaining international recognition makes us incredibly proud. It shows that a people-centered, open, and connected city has a future—here in the Netherlands and across Europe.” Research is also underway into how Plan Einstein can be applied in neighborhoods where asylum seekers, labor migrants, Ukrainian refugees, and local residents live together.
Read here the latest council letter on Plan Einstein.