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UNITAR Learning Trips

Each summer, the Kroc Institute sponsors Notre Dame undergraduates to attend the Peace in Action Study Tour and the She Leads for Peace Summer School in Geneva.

These professional development trips, offered by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), allow students to explore the full spectrum of peace practice and connect academic learning with both real-world concerns and individual aspirations.

Students learn the architecture of UN peace and development efforts, explore how their own individual skills and leadership style contribute to the work of peacebuilding, and gain a better understanding of peace as a concrete and actionable framework. They also allow students to connect with a global network of peers committed to ongoing peace collaboration.

The Kroc Institute selects the Notre Dame undergraduates who will participate in these trips each year and funds the majority of the costs of their participation. The funding covers flights, accommodations, and program tuition (which includes materials, coffee breaks, and lunches on session days). Students are encouraged to identify additional sources of funding to cover other food costs and incidental expenses.

Peace in Action Study Tour
June 15-19, 2026 - Geneva, Switzerland

The experience consists of curated online learning followed by a week-long tour focused on direct engagement and networking. The tour days involve morning reflections and contextual briefings, site visits throughout the city, and small group reflection and synthesis. Visits will encompass UN offices and agencies, grassroots organizations, NGOs, diplomatic halls, and social enterprises. The week ends with the development of a personal peace action plan.

She Leads for Peace Summer School
August 3-14, 2026 - Geneva, Switzerland

Weekdays consist of experiential learning sessions featuring peer-to-peer exchanges, talks from esteemed guest speakers, guided self-reflection exercises, and visits to international organizations in the peace, security, and humanitarian sectors. Students also have time to network with other participants and a weekend to explore the vibrant international culture of Geneva. Participants are recognized with a certificate at the end of the two-week program.

Eligibility

 
Any Notre Dame undergraduate with an interest in peace studies, international development, or global affairs may apply, regardless of their primary major. Ideal candidates will be interested in discerning how to integrate peace work into their professional goals or where their work might fit within the ecosystem of peace and development. It is strongly recommended that students take IIPS 20101 Introduction to Peace Studies prior to applying to the program, and preference will be given to students who have completed, or are currently taking, that course.

Students from any class year are eligible to apply. However, because the program is geared toward students preparing to transition from student life to professional life, rising seniors and graduating seniors may receive preferential consideration. In some cases, preference may also be given to students enrolled in the peace studies supplementary major and minor.

Requirements

Pre-Trip: The Kroc Institute will arrange participant travel, lodging, and insurance, and selected students are expected to coordinate in this process as requested by Institute staff. Students must also complete any required travel registrations, orientations, and asynchronous learning as instructed by the Kroc Institute and/or UNITAR. Students who withdraw after they have committed to the program must reimburse the Kroc Institute for any and all nonrefundable costs incurred up to the point of withdrawal.

During: Selected students must be available to participate for the full dates of their trip as well as two days before and after the trip for travel. Students must abide by all University policies when engaged in funded activities. While representing the Institute or the University, students must conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the University mission and the missions of the Keough School of Global Affairs and the Kroc Institute.

Post-Trip: After the trip, each participating student must submit a learning reflection (with several photos) to the Institute. This report is due no later than June 30, 2026 for participants of the Peace in Action Study Tour and no later than August 3, 2026, for the She Leads for Peace Summer School. Students must also attend a debriefing and feedback session with the Institute's undergraduate directors during the following fall semester.

Deadline: 5:00 pm on April 27, 2026

To apply, complete and submit the UNITAR Learning Trips Application, attaching your resume and application statement where prompted. Do not complete the application listed on the UNITAR website. In order for your trip to be funded by the Kroc Institute, you must apply through our internal application process.

The application form will prompt you to select the program you wish to attend. You may only apply for one trip in a given program year. Answer all questions on the form accurately and thoroughly and upload documents in PDF format.

Your resume must be current as of the date you submit your application. Your application statement should address the following four questions:

• (250 words) Share why you want to participate in this program this year. How will the program contribute to your educational and professional development goals?

• (250 words) Describe why you are a strong candidate for this leadership program. What relevant academic and international experience do you have, and how will it contribute to successful participation?

• (250 words) Discuss a time when you were in an unfamiliar environment. How did you approach the situation and get past it? What, and how, did you learn from the experience?

• (250 words) If selected, you will be seen by others as an ambassador of both the Kroc Institute and Notre Dame. What does this idea mean to you? How would you navigate your role representing a U.S. institution in a global setting?

Questions and Advising

If you have questions about the program or the application process, please book an advising appointment or contact Anna K. Van Overberghe, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies at the Kroc Institute, at avanove1@nd.edu.