18 September 2024
The 83 students enrolled in our LLM in International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights (LLM) and MAS in Transitional Justice, Human Rights and the Rule of Law (MTJ) – 41 for the LLM and 42 for the MTJ – met for the first time on the 9th September. Their orientation activities continued through the week and included presentations, workshops, city tours, and a welcome reception at the University of Geneva.
Our LLM class comprises 41 students from 23 different countries: Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, China, Ethiopia, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, India, Iran, Italy, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States of America, and Zimbabwe
Likewise, our MTJ class boasts an equally diverse representation, with 42 students from 30 countries: Afghanistan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Gambia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Nepal, Northern Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Philippines, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, United Kingdom, USA, and Zimbabwe
A highlight of the orientation week was the set of specially designed workshops on gender, inclusiveness, and intercultural competences. Head of Education Dr Clotilde Pégorier explained, ‘Our students arrive in Geneva from many different countries and have a broad set of cultural experiences. By arranging these activities at the start of their time with us, we hope to foster an understanding in the student body of the diverse multicultural nature of life here. This is not only important as part of their studies, but will also set them up to be truly global citizens post-graduation and equip them with important soft skills which will be useful in their future careers.’
On the Tuesday of orientation week, the Geneva Academy team led by our new director, Paola Gaeta, welcomed the students at the University of Geneva. After introductions from the Academy's first director, Andrew Clapham, and faculty member and Professor at the Geneva Graduate Institute, Neus Torbisco-Casals, they heard from the education, communication, research and Geneva Human Rights Platform units, and ended with a networking reception.
The orientation week concluded with city tours for those arriving in Geneva for the first time. These began at the famous flower clock by Lac Leman and continued through the old town, to the Alabama Room where the first Geneva Conventions were signed.
29 scholarships have been awarded to students, highlighting our commitment to academic excellence and diversity. These are granted through a rigorous selection process, emphasizing academic merit, extracurricular achievements, and financial need.
This academic year, two new optional courses have been introduced:
These complement eight continuing optional courses on issues including international cyber security law, gender and international crimes, and enforced disappearances in international law.
‘Our optional course offering evolves each year, bringing fresh content to the curriculum. In addition to the fundamental core courses, the pertinent issues explored in these courses are indispensable for those aspiring to engage in the humanitarian, human rights and transitional justice fields’ explains Dr Pégorier.
Geneva Academy
We organize online information sessions for prospective students interested in our LLM in International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights and Master in Transitional Justice, Human Rights and the Rule of Law.
In the 2023-24 academic year students from our two Geneva based Masters Programmes embarked on study trips to Georgia and Morocco.