Adobe>
25 September 2023
A new academic year started for our online Executive Master in International Law in Armed Conflict with 44 dedicated professionals. After a comprehensive online orientation week, they are now delving into their first courses, which include introductions to international law, international human rights law (IHRL), international humanitarian law (IHL), and a course on the classification of armed conflicts.
MSF
ICRC
Adobe>
Hailing from 30 different countries, the 44 participants work for international organizations, NGOs, government entities, development agencies, law firms, and the private sector.
They bring an extraordinary wealth of experience, spanning a broad spectrum of fields. They encompass humanitarian workers and human rights advocates working for the International Committee of the Red Cross, the UN High Commissioner for Refugee, the World Food Programme, the International Organization for Migration, the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Children in Armed Conflict, the Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria, the UN Mission in South Sudan or the World Health Organization, Médecins sans Frontières and the International Centre for Transitional Justice.
In addition, our diverse cohort comprises civil servants serving in the military, in defence, foreign affairs, or interior ministries, Geneva-based diplomats, professionals from development agencies, and staff from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Google.
‘This remarkable diversity in backgrounds, with participants sharing their extensive experiences in the classroom, promises to enrich our discussions and offer a multitude of perspectives on every topic’ underlines our Head of Education Dr Clotilde Pégorier.
Geneva Academy
Geneva Academy
Adobe>
Over the course of nine months, participants will deepen their understanding of the legal frameworks governing armed conflicts through 16 courses. These courses encompass international law, IHL, IHRL, international refugee law, and international criminal law, and explore contemporary issues and challenges such as terrorism and the responsibility to protect.
‘This programme equips professionals working in the field or within multilateral organizations with the essential tools to comprehend and master the regulations governing modern armed conflicts’ emphasizes Dr Pégorier.
‘As these conflicts grow increasingly intricate, possessing such knowledge is pivotal for comprehensive contextual analysis and the development of effective solutions’ she adds.
The online Executive Master in International Law in Armed Conflict stands as one of the few part-time, innovative, and intellectually stimulating programmes in the law of armed conflict. Tailored for professionals, it imparts robust theoretical and practical knowledge, addressing the growing demand for specialists capable of addressing complex contemporary conflicts.
This executive programme spans nine months, from October to June, and admits approximately 40 practitioners annually. Following the completion of courses and exams in June and July, participants have an additional six months to submit their master's paper, allowing participants to investigate a subject of special interest and deepen their knowledge and expertise through research.
Geneva Academy / Sandra Pointet
At our recent graduation ceremony, 104 students from our masters programs were honoured in the presence of faculty, staff, friends and family.
Geneva Academy / Sandra Pointet
At the graduation ceremony, four academic papers are honoured with distinguished prizes that acknowledge outstanding academic achievements.
Adobe Stock
This panel event explores the role that emotions play in the development, deployment, and regulation of artificial intelligence in warfare.
EDA-DFAE (FDFA)
The opening lecture of the 2025 Spring Semester will be given by Ambassador Jürg Lauber, President of the Human Rights Council and the Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations.
ICRC
This online short course provides an overview of the content and evolution of the rules governing the use of unilateral force in international law, including military intervention on humanitarian grounds and the fight against international terrorism. It focuses on the practice of states and international organizations.
UNAMID
This project will develop guidance to inform security, human rights and environmental debates on the linkages between environmental rights and conflict, and how their better management can serve as a tool in conflict prevention, resilience and early warning.
Adobe Stock
This project addresses the human rights implications stemming from the development of neurotechnology for commercial, non-therapeutic ends, and is based on a partnership between the Geneva Academy, the Geneva University Neurocentre and the UN Human Rights Council Advisory Committee.
Geneva Academy ICRC