Call for Applications: "International Mediation: Theory, Cases, and Skills"
Applications are now open for the annual summer Ph.D. course, "International Mediation: Theory, Cases, and Skills," offered by the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, part of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame, in partnership with the Centre on Conflict, Development and Peacebuilding at the Geneva Graduate Institute.
This five-day course will take place in-person in Geneva at the Geneva Graduate Institute, June 22-26, 2026, and will cover academic, policy, and practitioner perspectives on international mediation. Participants will become familiar with the scholarly literature and relevant theories and develop skills in conflict analysis, strategic planning for peacemaking, and mediation. The experience offers participants a rich opportunity to interact with senior mediators, as well as their counterparts from a diverse range of countries.
Preference will be given to students who are currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program or who have recently completed a Ph.D. A limited number of places are available for practitioners with extensive experience. Accreditation of the course for degree purposes is determined by the students’ universities. There is no registration fee, although participants must cover the costs of their travel and accommodation.
The course leaders are Laurie Nathan (Professor of the Practice of Mediation and Director of the Mediation Program at the Kroc Institute) and Sara Hellmüller (Research Professor of International Relations and Political Science at the Centre on Conflict, Development and Peacebuilding, Geneva Graduate Institute).
Applicants should submit a 1-2 page letter outlining their motivation for taking the course and providing details of their Ph.D. program, university, and any practitioner experience, and email it to ccdp@graduateinstitute.ch. The application deadline is Sunday, March 1, 2026.
For more information, contact Laurie Nathan.