Asia Leaders Programme
MA in International Peace Studies (Dual Campus)

The Asia Leaders Programme offers a Master of Arts Dual Degree Programme in International Peace Studies and is a shared initiative between the Nippon Foundation and the University for Peace, in collaboration with Ateneo de Manila University. This programmeaims to provide participants from Japan and other Asian countries with an opportunity to pursue a peace studies post graduate degree with a content-based language-training module.

The Asia Leaders Programme has been planned primarily for receiving participants from several Asian countries where English is not a widely used language, such as Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

participants accepted in the programme will be automatically granted full scholarships provided by the Nippon Foundation. A full scholarship includes: tuition fee, the language module, academic materials, air travel and living expenses during the period of studies.

Description of the Programme

In this 19-month intensive academic programme, the participants undertake courses at Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines as well as at UPEACE headquarters in Costa Rica. It is accomplished in three terms after the initial language-training module. The programme begins in April.

This offers the support for individuals who do not have a proficient command of English to work in this increasingly common international language and to become comfortable in their professional abilities as they gain academic skills. As part of the programme, participants have also the opportunity to apply their academic and practical knowledge through a four-month internship at the end of the Master courses.

Academic Schedule

• From April to August (venue The Philippines): Content based English language instruction module. participants are expected to reach a score of 600 points of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) at the end of the academic courses of the programme.
• From August to February (venue Costa Rica): participants will follow the standard International Peace Studies courses. The courses receive in the University for Peace are:
  • PCS 6000 Foundation Course in Peace and Conflict Studies
  • IPS 6022 Aspects of Conflict: Introduction to a Systemic Approach
  • IPS 6020 Research Methods
  • IPS 6011 Conflict Analysis and Management: Theory and Practice
  • IPS 6017 International Cooperation and Peace Building
  • Electives courses
  • IPS 6100 Practices of Conflict Management
• From February to June (venue The Philippines): Courses on Asia reality in peace and conflict studies offer in Ateneo de Manila University campus. The courses are:
  • DIPS 6010 Regional and Area Studies: Asia
  • DIPS 6007 Human Security and Development in Asia
  • DIPS 6008 Human Rights and Gender in Asia
  • DIPS 6009 Environmental Security, Sustainable Development and Peace
  • DIPS 6005 Workshop for the Preparation of the Graduation Project
• From June to October: participants will work on the graduation project (internship or research). The participants will develop an internship in an international or non governmental organization. participants may also choose to do a Research Project in lieu of an internship.

The Asia Leaders Programme enables participants from diverse cultures and backgrounds to attain a deep understanding of the central issues of peace and security which will determine the future of humanity. Participants in the programme will have broaded their base of knowledge and are able to engage with the major concepts, themes, and debates within international peace and conflict studies, preparing themselves for work with NGOs, governments, aid agencies, the UN and other organizations where a deep understanding of theses issues is critical.

The programme provides participants with the required theoretical and practical post graduate education to contribute to the work of building international peace. Furthermore, it empowers participants to conceptualize the key challenges faced by the international community, and the most promising potential areas and courses of action through an interdisciplinary and multicultural programme.

Here are some examples of the professional involvement of our graduates:

• A student from Bangladesh is now working at UNDP Liberia, as an International Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist through United Nations Volunteers (UNV).
• A student from Sri Lanka is working at UNDP Indonesia on the position of Project Officer for the ART GOLD programme.
• One student from Japan is working with IC Net Limited, a Japan based social development consulting company, associated in training projects for developing countries that are sponsored and funded by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
• One student from Japan works in a project sponsored by JICA for the empowerment and technical advice in a cooperative of Mayan women in Mexico.
• One student from Japan is working in the Japanese diplomatic mission in Afghanistan.
• One student from Japan works in Brazil in a project related with immigration issues sponsored by JICA.
• One student from Indonesia is a scholar and teacher in the Department of Sociology at the University of Airlangga, Indonesia.
• One student from Indonesia is UN Office of the Recovery Coordinator in one region from Indonesia.
• One student from the Philippines is a researcher and policy advisor for climate change and biodiversity for an Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Center in the Philippines.
• One student from Japan is an advisor in educational development and vocational schooling for a Government Agency in El Salvador in a project sponsored by JICA.

For complete course descriptions, course calendar and information about the prefessors, please follow this link: http://www.upeace.org/academic/calendar/