As part of the Master in International Affairs, students have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of skills workshop facilitated by industry experts to help them acquire or enhance professional skills necessary for a career in the sector.
Skills workshops are interactive teaching modules that put students into real-world professional situations. Each workshop is worth 3 credits.
Working in an international affairs position today, one needs to be prepared for crisis situations. We live in a society where we face increased volatility, be it because of conflictual settings, vulnerable economies or as a result of climate change.
ROLF OLSEN
On the importance of crisis management today.
The multitude of actors engaged in international affairs today produces a cacophony of voices, positions, demands, and priorities. In this workshop students learn how to prepare a policy brief and a two-minute statement that will cut through the noise, and help them reach their target audience(s) and policy objectives.
People have to feel 'this is you'. It is not a presentation, rather a conversation with a few people. Keep the language simple and straightforward, and address the audience. Don't just talk to an anonymous body.
MATTHIAS ANDEREGG
On developing personal presence to achieve engaging public appearances.
Faced with daunting challenges in this 21st century, the development sector is more than ever in need of solid strategies to reinvent itself, confirm its relevance and multiply its impact. Strategy consulting is at the heart of such efforts, and understanding the levers of how it is done well is crucial for future practitioners in this profession.
I think a training in development studies is not credible without understanding what the key issues raised by an evaluation are. In addition, evaluation is one pillar of the Project Cycle Management. To have the proper tools to design, implement and measure the effects of a development initiative, you must also have a clear understanding of how to conduct an evolution, from the theoretical, practical and field work perspectives. This is the main aim of this workshop.
Cet atelier vise à acquérir des compétences théoriques et pratiques en gestion de projets de développement. Le plan de l'atelier s'articule autour de la notion de cycle de projet, depuis la phase d'identification, jusqu'aux phases de suivi et d'évaluation. Un accent est mis de manière transversale sur la "théorie du changement" et l'approche genre. L'application des concepts sur la base d' études de cas permet aux étudiants et aux étudiantes de se familiariser avec les enjeux actuels de la gestion de projets et favorise une appropriation concrète des outils.
Negotiation is not rocket science. It is however fantastically endowed with the potential to “do good” when prepared, managed, conducted in a humanistic, respectful and skilful manner tailored to each negotiation encounter. Just having “winning” arguments is insufficient: much more is at play, needs to be discovered and constituencies are watchful and apprehensive. So who wants to negotiate?
We are in the middle of a data revolution and it is essential for students to understand what big data are and what they are not. This course provides a first, conceptual introduction to the topic and is an essential first step for anyone interested in delving deeper into the topic.
Please note that the specific set of workshops may vary from semester to semester.