Intensive Course on International Mediation

Course description

The course aims to strengthen skills, foster the exchange of good practices, and promote networking among different actors in support of peace processes, through the application of advanced mediation and dialogue methodologies for conflict management in contexts of high political, social and cultural complexity.

The course is organized in the framework of the RIMI project financed by the Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Course target

The main target audience for the course composed of mid-career and senior-level professionals, whether Italian or international, from sectors directly involved in mediation, including diplomacy, the armed forces, civil society, academia and the private sector.

Training objectives 

The main training objectives include:

• Conducting multi-stakeholder analyses to identify the positions, interests and narratives of the main actors, and mapping the interests of conflicting parties in order to identify areas of convergence on which dialogue processes can be initiated;
• Using practical tools for mediation, conflict prevention and transformation;
• Enhancing the exchange of good practices and building professional networks for international cooperation in support of mediation and peace.

Teaching methods

The course will be delivered entirely in person, taking full advantage of the residential format of the programme. The teaching methodology will combine lectures with the use of practical tools for conflict prevention, transformation and management, including multi-stakeholder analysis exercises. In this way, the classroom-based format will provide an interactive learning environment designed to stimulate discussion, encourage the exchange of good practices, and foster strategic networking among the participating professionals. 

Course programme

The programme is structured as follows:

Module I – Introduction to negotiation and peace mediation in the current global landscape

This module will provide an overview of international mediation, introduce the difference between negotiation and mediation, and present some methodologies for conducting analysis in mediation processes. 

Module II – Peace Mediation skills

This module will provide direct experience of peace processes, and it will strengthen negotiation and mediation skills through simulations.

Module III – Planning mediation processes

This module will analyse multi-track mediation cases, inclusion methods and how to integrate different themes in mediation process design, and it will strengthen capacities to design mediation processes and to mediate security agreements in peace processes.

Attendance certificate

At the end of the course, participants how will have attended at least 80% of the sessions will receive a certificate of attendance.