Location:

Geneva, Switzerland

Program Type:

Study Abroad

Degree Level:

Undergraduate

Term:

Summer

Program Overview

Program Description:

June 19 - 30, 2017 (2 weeks)

Click HERE for more details.

This summer school provides participants with an understanding of the main stakes and questions in humanitarian action and contributes to building critical thinking.

The first week introduces the main concepts of humanitarian aid – including elements that should be considered (or not) when defining humanitarian action – and presents the humanitarian principles and framework in which assistance activities take place. Besides history, law and geopolitics of humanitarian action, we also analyse the context and the characteristics of humanitarian crises and the various types of responses.

Through case studies from contexts such as Philippines, Syria, Haiti or Afghanistan, the main operational challenges faced by international and national organisations will be identified during the second week. Finally, working on a concrete scenario during two days, participants will partially experience the tasks undertaken by humanitarian workers and get the opportunity to practically apply their newly acquired knowledge.

Overall, the three weeks allow participants to capture the complexity and diversity of humanitarian action.

Assessments are based on active participation and an assignment carried out during the two days. Upon successful completion of the course, participants are evaluated based on a group presentation on the last days of the two-weeks summer school (equivalence of 4 ECTS). Students wanting to acquire 6 ECTS have the opportunity to do so on the basis of a satisfactory take-home paper, to be written within a week after the end of the summer school.

Please note: Changes to the draft program may be made at any time prior to the start of the course.

Cost:

1600 CHF. Early Bird (March 1st, 2017): 1,600 CHF Final deadline (May 1st, 2017): 1,900 CHF

Additional Program Information

Requirements:

The course is aimed at professionals with no background in humanitarian action as well as undergraduate and graduate students who wish to learn and understand more about humanitarian action, to study this field and/or are interested in joining a humanitarian organisation. CERAH encourages applications from a large variety of disciplines – social sciences, humanities, arts and medicine among others. The course is taught in English.

Scholarships:

Yes

Scholarships Description:

A limited number of partial or full tuition waivers are available. Please note that only financial reasons are valuable criteria for the waiver. Indicate your reasons in your motivation letter.