Geneva Centre for Education and Research in Humanitarian Action

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The Geneva Centre of Humanitarian Studies (French: Centre d'études humanitaires de Genève) (formerly known as CERAH) offers a wide range of comprehensive and specialized postgraduate training programmes for professionals active in the humanitarian sector. A joint Centre of the University of Geneva and the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies,^[1] the Centre is firmly anchored in Geneva's rich academic environment. It is one of the few institutes dedicated to the study of humanitarian action. It offers modular and flexible academic training programmes, distance or residential ones, and scholarship opportunities.^[2]

History[]

In June 2020, the name of CERAH changed to the Geneva Centre of Humanitarian Studies.

CERAH was founded in 1998 with the support of the University of Geneva and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.

In subsequent years, particularly after 2011 CERAH revised its postgraduate educational offer to better respond to the needs of humanitarian organizations and professionals. It led to the development of seven postgraduate degrees (1 MAS, 1 DAS, 5 CAS) and several one-week intensive seminars on specific issues.

Degree and Training Programmes[]

Master of Advanced Studies in Humanitarian Action (MAS)[]

The MAS in Humanitarian Action is a 10- to 12-month full-time programme of 60 European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits.^[3] The programme is focused on building in-depth understanding of the central conceptual and operational aspects of humanitarian action.

The multidisciplinary and interactive programme, delivered in English, comprises three parts:

• A core curriculum of three months focusing on the theory and fundamental questions of humanitarian action (30ECTS);
• Two elective specialising courses of seven weeks each (20ECTS in total) to be chosen by the participants among different themes;
• An academic dissertation (10 ECTS), introduced by a 3 weeks course on research and methodology.

Since 2012, the MAS in Humanitarian Action is offered to international managers in the humanitarian and development sector (with at least 2 years of working experience and holding a higher education institution degree), who wish to deepen their competencies in specific areas and add an academic and analytical dimension to their professional skills. Its modular set-up allows for maximum flexibility. Participant can complete the MAS in 1, 2 or 3 years.^[4]

This programme was awarded unconditional accreditation by the Swiss Center of Accreditation and Quality Assurance in Higher Education (AAQ).^[5]

Thematic Short Courses (TSC)[]

Specific themes are proposed as 1-week Thematic Short Courses (TSC). Offering topics that matter (e.g. nutrition, sexual violence, forced migration, negotiation) the courses attract new audiences and eventually, encourage participants to enrol in other trainings.

MOOC[]

The Massive Online Open Course (MOOC) "Humanitarian communication: addressing key challenges" focuses on the challenges of communication in humanitarian settings and the means of addressing these. This 5-week online course is repeated throughout the academic year.^[6]

References[]