World: Online course on Mediation Skills

Background

The United Nations plays a major role in the management and resolution of international conflicts. It is a unique actor in the field of international conflict management which successfully negotiates and implements many of the settlements that have ended some of the most protracted conflicts in the world. Mediation is deployed in the context of international conflicts and intra-state conflicts to advance peacemaking, and requires individuals who have the necessary experience, professionalism and judgement to effectively resolve disputes. By improving one’s mediation skills and developing an understanding of the UN’s role in the mediation process, diplomats will be better equipped to prevent and manage international disputes. This e-Learning course will enable participants to enhance their knowledge, strategies and skills in mediation processes.

Event Objectives

This e-Learning course aims to improve the practical skills of diplomats in international mediation and in understanding the role of the UN in resolving conflicts. The course will offer insights into the mediation process. The course will also assess the process of gaining entry into a mediation initiative and examine the early and later stages of mediation. In particular, it will touch upon the importance of re-framing, active listening and communication when trying to generate options and crafting an agreement that is acceptable to all the parties.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this e-course, participants should be able to:

• Define mediation and the role of the mediator in preparing, strategizing and prioritizing effective interventions;
• Describe the different phases involved in the mediation process;
• Explain the UN’s role in international mediation;
• Develop mediation skills which can be utilised in international diplomacy;
• Analyze the political, diplomatic and cultural dimensions of mediation.

Content and Structure

The course will include four modules:

1. Introduction to mediation in international diplomacy and the role of a mediator;
2. Pre-mediation, gaining entry and the early stages of mediation;
3. The role of proximity talks, re-framing, active listening and communication in generating interest-based options to craft an agreement;
4. Case studies.

Methodology

e-Learning: The course is internet-based, moderated by senior international experts, asynchronous, and places emphasis on online discussions and self-paced learning. The participants will be primarily responsible for their own learning over the four-week span of the course. The course will consist of the following components:

• Compulsory and optional reading material, intended to teach the basic concepts and principles of the lesson's subject-matter;
• External links to additional books, articles, documents, and websites related to the lessons;
• Quizzes and case studies at the end of each module. To be eligible for the course certificate, a passing grade of 80% on both quizzes and case studies is required;
• A Community Discussion Board will be available for participants to post questions or comments visible to the instructor and other participants. This discussion board will be moderated by the course director and UNITAR;
• Estimated learning time: minimum of 40 hours;
• Participants will be eligible to receive a certificate after the successful completion of the course.

How to register:

Registration and Course Fee

The course participation fee is 600 USD. Registration will be closed as soon as the course is full and your place will be secured once your payment is confirmed.

Please follow the steps below to apply for one of our online training courses:

• Go to https://www.unitar.org/event/user/register to create a user account.
• Once your user account is created, go to https://www.unitar.org/event/mediation-skills-6
• Select “add to cart”.
• After selecting, you will see other courses that might be of interest to you. You may add another event by clicking on the title of another event, which will take you to the event detail page.

If you want to confirm your selection, click on “selected events” in the top right corner of the page (“view your shopping cart”)

• Click “Proceed to checkout”
• You will then be directed to the billing page where you are asked to fill in your bank details.

You will then automatically be sent an invoice by email. Upon receipt of your payment, we will send you an email confirming your registration. Before the beginning of the course, you will receive a new username and password which will allow you to access the content of and attend the e-learning course.

We highly encourage credit card payments. You may find some useful information on “how to register” on: http://www.unitar.org/event/about-unitar-events#register