The UOC updates its international master's degree in Conflictology in collaboration with the United Nations
The fact that conflicts affect millions of people around the world and that there is a lack of resources for civil society to resolve them has led to prolonged violence in many countries. The UOC has provided specialist training since 2009 to a total of 139 international students in management of criminal and armed conflict to contribute to world peace. Now, thanks to a recent alliance with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), the University's Master's Degree in Conflictology in English is to be updated to further improve the skills of future conflict resolution professionals.
By Guida Fullana
This alliance between the UOC and the United Nations has already benefitted some sixty military commanders and workers from a number of the international organization's delegations. Since last October, soldiers on peacekeeping missions have been studying the international Master's Degree in Conflictology online to learn about peaceful techniques to reduce violence in countries with armed conflict or affected by natural disaster. Military personnel will apply the knowledge acquired to ensure long-term and sustainable peace in the areas they are sent to.
The only one of its kind in the world and backed by UNITAR's wealth of experience, the master's degree accredits students to develop non-violent intervention programmes in crisis zones. In collaboration with the United Nations, the educational programme analyses the nature of contemporary conflict in order to design action plans and peacekeeping interventions, as well as mediation, support and negotiation processes.
Number of students from outside Spain on the rise
Maria Antònia Guardiola, coordinator of the UOC Master's Degree in Conflictology in English, believes the programme has had a positive effect in the six years since it began. She stressed the increased interest in conflict resolution on the international stage saying, "thanks to the consolidation of the agreement with UNITAR, we have seen an important rise in the number of enrolments, more than 90% of which come from outside Spain".
The UOC also offers the Master's Degree in Conflictology in Spanish. Between 2009 and 2013, some 518 people studied conflictology at the UOC. 79 studied the master's degree in English, 199 studied the specialization course in armed conflict and crisis management and 240 studied the specialization course in family and education mediation.
UN peace missions
There are currently sixteen ongoing UN peace operations on four continents and a special political mission in Afghanistan. Peacekeeping and security operations involve supporting the political process in countries such as Mali, South Sudan, Cote d'Ivoire, Haiti or Kosovo, among others.
In its sixty years of existence, the United Nations has protected civilians in conflict zones and ensured post-conflict disarmament, organization of elections, demobilization and reintegration of former soldiers.
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