COURSE DESCRIPTION

It is designed to engage students in an examination of the major contemporary challenges to peace, sources of conflict and violence, and several key nonviolent mechanisms for conflict transformation and prevention. The course provides a common foundation for UPEACE students from all of the different M.A. programs (as its name suggests). During the course, an understanding of the complex and interconnected challenges to peace will be developed, as will an understanding of the need for multi-faceted approaches to meeting these challenges. Students will also engage critically with theories of conflict, and will develop their understanding of the theoretical resources available in the area of conflict studies. During the course of their studies at UPEACE students will engage in increasingly specialized inquiry into various dimensions and issues in their specific MA areas. The foundation course provides an opportunity to explore connections, sympathies, and synergies between the challenges and approaches identified in all of these areas from a “wide-angle” perspective that will encourage students to continue making such interdisciplinary connections and analyses throughout their tenure at UPEACE and after. An important aspect of the course will also be the introduction to skills integral to the field of peace and conflict studies and to the UPEACE pedagogy at large. These include non-violent communication, appreciative enquiry and dialogue.

This course aims at reviewing general concepts of economics from a qualitative and quantitative point of view.  It will start from describing the meaning of economics and the interrelations between the different actors in a market place to a reflection on the history and philosophy of various economic thoughts. The theoretical economic review will put emphasis on understanding how macroeconomics plays an important role in defining today’s world trends and challenges and will introduce basic concepts of Microeconomics, putting especial emphasis on the decision making process of the private sector. In quantitative terms, all different type of indicators and indexes will be analyzed as well as the function of production as well as macroeconomic formulas.

In details, looking at how the economic policies are applied, will help students understand the implication of widespread unemployment, uncontrolled inflation and critical food crisis. A session will be dedicated to the analysis of globalization and its impacts. Finally, the course will reflect on the role the economy plays in promoting peace or fuelling conflict.

This course is a broad examination of the notion of economic development: its theory, practice as well as policies but with a specific emphasis on the concept of sustainability, at social, economic, cultural and political level. It will offer students an opportunity to better understand the concept of economic development from the traditional point of view where the analysis of the economic progress of nations was only measured by economic growth, to the present debate concerning development, which is focusing more on poverty and inequality as well as on questions concerning governance.

During the course special attention will be given to the role of conflict in development. 

The course will discuss both national and international development issues, such as international trade, finance and climate change. Special attention will be given to various aspects of globalisation, including international governance and international negotiations. 

During the course both development theories will be discussed as well as practical experiences in development policy making and peace building.

This course introduces students to the linkages between international trade under the multilateral trading system and human rights on the one hand, and business corporations and human rights on the other, while also analyzing the interfaces common to the three. The legal regimes related to international trade (including intellectual property rights) and human rights have evolved in complete isolation from one another, thereby resulting in creation of trade policies that undermine human rights. This course will therefore begin with an analysis of the linkages between these two regimes and will gradually introduce the role of business corporations in this complex framework. From the common interfaces between trade, business and human rights, the course will move on to finally scrutinize the evolving international law related to business corporations and human rights.

This course is a broad examination of sustainable development: its theory, practice, policies and principles. It will offer an opportunity for students to get familiar with the international processes that were initiated with the Brundtland Commission report Our Common Future in 1987. It will review the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development process and outcomes; and the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development. The course will also offer an opportunity to reflect and dialogue about global challenges, global ethics, the notion of responsibility and the principles of sustainability outlined in the Earth Charter. The sessions will aim to deepen understanding on the integrated approach of sustainable development and fundamental principles of sustainability.

The 10-session course will offer a space for students to reflect on ways to become ethical, responsible and sustainability leaders. It will equip students with the capacity to identify sustainable ways to live and will also encourage students to adopt such lifestyles. For that by the end of the course students will be sensitized and aware about the key values and principles necessary to achieve sustainability. It will offer a space to critically analyse the major arenas, institutions and procedures for implementing the concept.

In this course students will have the opportunity to examine the theoretical and conceptual proposed by The Blue economy as a comprehensive way to make sustainable business, and make a comparative analysis of the advantages of this model compared to traditional economic models and Green economy model.

This course teaches how to build a Strategic Plan from the diagnosis of the problems to the short and medium term solutions to be proposed. This includes using different management tools that help organize the strategic objectives with its corresponding actions and indicators for monitoring and evaluation. It will also look at organizational and administrative aspects in an integral view combining concepts with group practices.

In addition participants can choose an elective course (3 credits) offered by the UPEACE Institute or other UPEACE programmes.

For UPEACE students, the Institute offers the elective courses that have to take as part of their corresponding plan of studies at UPEACE. During these courses, UPEACE students can share learning experiences with students of all UPEACE MA programmes and non-UPEACE students as well.

To develop students’ theoretical knowledge and applied skills in conducting qualitative, action and participatory research in the fields of peacebuilding and conflict analysis and resolution, with a strong emphasis on management, economic development, gender issues and their cultural implications.

The Self-Management course will have students engage in the lifelong process of self-examination and reflection. The process of discovery will include paradigm shifts, recognition of the need for change, and the importance of the support and trust of others. 

Students will begin to embrace their humanness (strengths and weaknesses), practice self-control, and take responsibility for one’s past, present, and future decisions, and the consequences of those decisions.

The value of team and oneness for effective transformational and leadership will be introduced and then emphasized throughout the year. Therefore, in addition to individual activities, students will also participate in several team-building activities throughout the year, beginning in the Self-Management course.

The justification for the proposed course is significant. The roles and responsibilities of business as well as governments and social sector are becoming more urgent and complex, and concepts related to societal responsibility and sustainability are gaining recognition as essential elements in business management. The need for responsible global citizens, leaders and managers is urgent and this course will help students in sharing and providing ideas, frameworks, and case studies to ensure that they will understand their role as future Responsible citizens, leaders and managers.

A more "responsible" workforce will allow corporations, governments, NGOs, and communities to contribute, rather than detract from the sustainability of the world. Recent empirical research shows that profitability is greater for those companies that are actively engaged in the resolution of global issues and that a better interconnection between all sectors will achieve a more sustainable development and world economy.

The course will be taught as a combination between theories and practical exercises which will be introduced and coached by external experts from the corporate, social and public sectors.

In the last decades of the XX century, within the context of globalization, the need to look at new economic paradigms more in line with sustainable development became evident and notorious.

The triple bottom line approach is becoming the common language in every organization and the social pressure on both corporations, as well as governmental actors, civil society organization in providing eco friendly goods and services, complying with International standards and codes of conduct as well as respecting and advocating for human rights, is rising day by day.

Therefore there is a urgent need to reflect on the current practices and trends in responding to the world most urgent demands and at the same time challenge the most renowned models and framework to attempt looking beyond corporate social responsibilities approach as analyzing the social responsibilities of all stakeholders and promote a common understanding and synergy of actions which lead to the building of a new society which is more respectful and responsible in responding to needs and priorities of all citizens.

The course will lead the students towards a critical review of the current approaches to CSR and looking beyond it to analyze the society as a whole, as per each actor involved.

This is because it is the author’s belief that all stakeholders are equally responsible of market failure, for un respectful behaviors towards the environment and the society, and there is a collective need to look for answers and align policies and strategies to achieve common goals for the benefit of all.

The course will be an interactive course built on theories and practical experiences of students, guest speakers and the instructor.

The worlds of ‘working for the betterment of society’ and ‘private enterprise’ are often seen as incompatible. This course will attempt to breakdown that perception in order for participants to see the social sector as a place of opportunity, both to ‘do good’ but also to innovate and build a financially sustainable social enterprise, whether non-profit, for-profit, or some combination of the two. The course suggests that in order to get a socially beneficial idea off the ground, effectively grow it, and make it financially sustainable, social entrepreneurs need to think creatively beyond models of traditional non profits or for-profits.

This hands-on and dynamic course will expose participants to a number of cases of social entrepreneurs who have converted their desire of building a better world into a reality. The course will include a field-based case where participants will experience first hand a social enterprise in Costa Rica. The course hopes to inspire participants with an entrepreneurial spirit, help gain an understanding of the challenges of the start-up process, and think about the complexities of growing and managing it.

This course is an introductory skill-building course in negotiation, conflict management and resolution. First, participants will learn to improve their own negotiation skills, helping them to act consciously and skillfully in tough situations. We will learn and practice techniques designed to help us negotiate successfully despite the other party’s lack of skill, trust or good intentions, and to help ourselves manage situations in which we ourselves are parties to conflict in a beneficial manner. This introduction will also help us understand how negotiations fall apart, and how conflict forms. Next, we will explore the spectrum of third-party intervention methods, showing how these processes are implemented and institutionalized on the inter-personal level as well as in the international sphere. We will dedicate time to understanding and experimenting with the process of mediation, in which a third-party, lacking decision-imposing power, uses his / her negotiation expertise, his / her creativity and his / her relationship with the parties, in order to aid them in reaching agreement and transforming their relationship. By understanding the design and management methods of the mediation process, participants will be able to bring their improved negotiation skills to bear in assisting others to negotiate and resolve conflicts peacefully.

Dr. Abdalla is Professor and Vice Rector at the United Nations-mandated University for Peace (UPEACE).  Before arriving at UPEACE, he was a Senior Fellow with the Peace Operations Policy Program, School of Public Policy, at George Mason University, in Virginian, USA.   He was also a Professor of Conflict Analysis and Resolution at the Graduate School of Islamic and Social Sciences in Leesburg, Virginia.
 
Both his academic and professional careers are multi-disciplinary.  He obtained a law degree in Egypt in 1977 where He practiced law as a prosecuting attorney from 1978 to 1987.  He then emigrated to the U.S. where He obtained a Master's degree in Sociology and a Ph.D. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University.
 
He has been teaching graduate classes in conflict analysis and resolution, and has conducted training, research and evaluation of conflict resolution and peacebuilding programs in several countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the Americas.  He also authored, and co-authored, several research and evaluation teaching manuals including: Doing What You Want With Your Data, A Step-by-Step Guide to Planning and Implementing Evaluation Strategies, and Qualitative Evaluation: The What and Why.

He has been an active figure in promoting effective cross-cultural messages within the Islamic and Arabic-speaking communities in America through workshops, T.V. and radio presentations.  He has also been actively involved in inter-faith dialogues in the United States.  He pioneered the development of the first conflict resolution training manual for the Muslim communities in the United States titled (“…Say Peace”).  He also founded Project LIGHT (Learning Islamic Guidance for Human Tolerance), a community peer-based anti-discrimination project funded by the National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ).
 

With professional background in education, business, government and NGO's, I started for a future as consultant and lecturer, bringing business and society into the direction of a sustainable future for all. I was educated as chemist and social scientist and had my main occupations in chemical research, environmental communication and in corporate social responsibility. After an early retirement in 2012 as Head Sustainable Development of Rabobank in The Netherlands, I focus my work on professional education in business-schools, in consultancy for business and in pro bono activities. My personal conviction is that sustainable development is at the root of the future of business and of society. This is a matter of culture, structure and personal commitment. It needs learning processes to embed sustainability in the hearts and minds of people in corporations, government and societal groups.

I contributed on boards of commercial, government (UN) and non-commercial institutions. This I did and still do in areas like ((inter)national) finance and business, (regional) nature / environment, business-education, sustainable energy and (local) rural&urban development. I perform on various stages (large, small, (inter)nationally and locally) on diverse topics in corporate social responsibility and sustainable development. I was program-manager of the International Supply Management Congress. Next to that, I am engaged in a number of executive education activities in Nyenrode University. In 2012, I took the initiative to prepare a book 'Capital Trust' on the financial sector in The Netherlands which was published in November 2012.

Carlos Bernal is a Business Management graduate of the Universidad Externado of Colombia, with several courses and qualified titles in leadership, managerial development and sustainable development. He posesses a Specialization in Management for Sustainable Development certified by ZERI Foundation and United Nations University in Tokyo.

He has more than 25 years of experience in training activities and managerial development working first as a responsible official in companies such as BBVA, Philips Industries and Nestlé, and in the last 20 years he has served as an advisory consultant for many companies in Colombia and Latin America.

He has taught on subjects including Blue Economy, environmental business and social responsibility, leadership and sustainable development, as well as ethic management, among others.

Prof. Ansorena holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Massachusetts, USA. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the National University of Costa Rica. The University of Massachusetts also granted a Master in Economics.

Since August 2011 will be Associate Professor at the University for Peace and have the responsibility of conducting the Master of Arts Programmes in Responsible Management and Sustainable Economic Development.

Before joining UPeace, Dr. Ansorena has been an economist practitioner with over 20 years of professional experience as project manager and advisor to different organizations such as Government of Costa Rica as General Manager for the Program of “Regulation of Cadastre and Registry and Municipal Strengthening” the Central American Integration Secretariat (2005-2008), the government of Nicaragua, (2003-2004), UNDP, UNICEF, World Bank, CATIE (1999-2002). He has been also an IADB economist and program officer (1991-1998) and advisor to the Ministry of Trade of the government of Costa Rica (1997-1998). He has a broad set of skills in economic and policy analysis, planning and trade.

His long professional experience has been combined with teaching, mainly in the University of Massachusetts and the National University of Costa Rica.

From 1993-2003, Dr. Young was a tenured faculty member at The University of Tampa. While at UT, she directed the Office of International Programs; the Center for Leadership; the Institute for World Commerce Education; and served as Associate Dean of the College of Business. Since leaving UT, she has served as the Director of Marketing and Corporate Relations for the Graduate School of Business at Florida International University; the Director of the Center for Leadership at the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College; and the founding Director of the Center for Social Medicine and Global Health Equity in the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami. She is a visitng professor in the graduate schools of FIU, Saint Leo University, ISM in Paris, and University for PEace in Costa Rica. Dr. Young earned her Ph.D. in Latin America Studies & International Strategic Management from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana.

She has earned certificates in International Negotiations, Board Leadership, Strategic Marketing, and Executive Coaching and Leadership, from several graduate schools including Harvard and Villanova universities. Before completing her doctorate, Dr. Young worked as a strategic analyst for a leading multinational company in the oil services industry. Dr. Young has been teaching, consulting, and researching in the area of responsible global management.

As an associated researcher, he has done some field researches to develop small cooperation projects between Italy and Costa Rica. As member of the Academic Committee they are responsible for the academic programs and the Master degree thesis. As a consultant for STRO, he usually gives technical support in sustainable local economic development to projects in the Central American and Andean region, develop project documents to implement them and manage funds with possible funding organizations.

As freelance consultant and researcher, he has advised several organizations on sustainability, ethno-development, sustainable local economic development, project management, and MSME development. (IADB, JICA, US Embassy, Japanese Embassy, Ministerio de la Coordinación de la Política Económica de Ecuador, Pachamama Foundation, Renafipse, Bank of Buddha, UN Peace University, RELACC, JAK Medlemsbank in Sweden andothers).

Currently professor of Theory and Practice of International Development at the Institute of Social Studies (ISS) in the Netherlands, he graduated as economist at Erasmus University in Rotterdam (NL) in 1964.  He has been Minister for Development Cooperation from 1973-1977 and in 1989-1994 and Minister of Housing, spatial planning and enviornemnt in 1998-2002.  He has also been active Member of Parliament for several legislative periods.  From 2004 to 2006 he became the special representative Secretary General of the United Nations in Sudan and between 1980 and 1986 the Deputy Secretary-General of UNCTAD in Geneva.  Between 2000-2001 he was elected as Chairman of the 6th Conference of Parites at the UN Convention on Climate Change.  In 2001 he joined the Special Envoy of the Secretary General of United Nations for the World Summit on Sustainable Development (2001-2003).  In 2002 he became Chairman of the Board of the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED, London 2002-2004) and in 2003 also Chairman of Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) in Geneva (2003-2004).  At the same time he was Chairman of the Federation of Refugee Organisations in the Netherlands from 2003 to 2004 and recently the President of the IKV, Interchurch Peace Council and the President of the Society for International Development (SID, Roma 2008-).
During his carreer, he received several special honours as Dr Honoris Causa at the University San Marcos in Lima, Peru (1974) and at the Institute of Social Studies in The Hague (2002).  Among others, he also became the Officier of Legion D'Honneur of France (2001) and the Officer in de Orde van Oranje Nassau of the Netherlands (2002).

Juan Carlos Sainz-Borgo is Associate Professor and Head of the Department of International Law and Human Rights at UPEACE. He is also Associate Professor of International Law at the Universidad Central de Venezuela in Caracas since 1998. Professor of Humanitarian International Law at the Universidad Sergio Arboleda in Bogota since 2009; he was Fulbright Visiting Professor at the Washington College of Law at the American University in 2008-2009. He served as Jurist to the Regional Delegation of Venezuela and the Caribbean of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Juan Carlos Sainz-Borgo has a Law Degree, Master in International Law and Doctorate (Cum Laude) from the Universidad Central de Venezuela in Caracas and a Master Degree from Oxford University, UK. He has published four books on international law and international relations and a numerous articles in different publications in the field.

Mihir Kanade is the Director of the UPEACE Human Rights Centre and is an Academic Consultant to the Department of International Law and Human Rights at UPEACE. Prior to the present position, Mihir practiced for 6 years as a lawyer in the Supreme Court of India and the Bombay High Court, focusing on issues of fundamental human rights violations. He holds a LL.B. from Nagpur University and a Master’s degree in International Law and the Settlement of Disputes from UPEACE. He has served as a legal advisor to many human rights organizations in India and has represented them before different courts and tribunals in criminal, constitutional and labour cases. His principal area of academic research and study is Human Rights and International Trade Linkages, on which he has also worked as a consultant with the United Nations University, Tokyo.

She is the Executive Director of the Earth Charter Internacional Secretariat. Mirian has been promoting the Initiative internationally since 1996, which has involved working with NGOs, Universities, Local Communities and Government officials. The project was originally done in collaboration with the National Councils for Sustainable Development initiative. She has lead and facilitated numerous international workshops and seminars on values and principles for sustainability. She has also participated in several annual meetings of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, as well as Preparatory Conferences to the World Summit on Sustainable Development and the Johannesburg Summit itself. In that process she dealt with a number of governments' officials and non-state actors participating in such events. Prior to her work with the Earth Charter, Mirian worked for the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) for two years in preparation of the 1992 UN Earth Summit and a year in UNCTAD - United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. She moved from Geneva to Costa Rica in 1993 to join in the establishment of the Earth Council, an NGO established to follow up the Earth Summit agreements and promote the establishments of National Councils for Sustainable Development. Mirian holds a Master Degree in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, where she was an Edward Mason Fellow and a B.Sc. with focus on International Trade.

Director of the UPEACE Centre for Executive and Professional Education and a faculty member at UPEACE. Prior to this position, he served as Education Programme Manager of the Earth Charter Initiative, an international nonprofit organization. Before his 4-years in the non-profit sector, he worked both in the private sector and also as a high school teacher in Ecuador. He has a Bachelor's degree from Stanford University and his Master's from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Former Coordinator of the RMSED Programme at the University for Peace, Costa Rica from 2009 to July 2011. She Owns a Msc in Post-war reconstruction, graduated with distinction in 1999, University of York (UK). Bsc in Economics, graduated Cum Laude, 1992, University La Sapienza of Rome (Italy). Technical Diploma in accounting and foreign Languages, graduated in 1986, (Italy).

Dr. Troy D. Abel is an Associate Professor of Environmental Policy at Western Washington University’s (WWU) Department of Environmental Studies in the Huxley College of the Environment. He also is program director of Huxley’s annual Rainforest Immersion and Conservation Action (RICA) study abroad program in Costa Rica. Professor Abel is currently on sabbatical leave from WWU for 2013 to conduct research on political biogeography in Costa Rica and prepare his third book tentatively titled Conservation in Ecotopia’s prism: ecology, economy, and equity in Costa Rica.

Both his teaching and research are inter-disciplinary with a focus on the dynamic tensions of environmental science and democratic politics in a variety of arenas including community-based environmental protection, environmental justice, and international conservation projects. He received a Bachelor’s of Science in Public Health from Indiana University in 1990 and a Master’s in Public Administration and Ph.D. in Public Policy from George Mason University in 1994 and 1998 respectively.

He has been teaching undergraduate classes in environmental policy, regulation, policy analysis, and greening business, mentoring undergraduate student research theses and projects, and supervising graduate students in Geography. Dr. Abel’s publications have utilized both quantitative and qualitative methods to examine urban environmental injustices, national policies to achieve environmental justice, the development of ecological citizenship, and the political biogeography of biodiversity conservation. In 2012, he was awarded the Lynton Caldwell Prize for the best book in environmental politics by the American Political Science Association for his co-authored manuscript Coming clean: information disclosure and environmental performance published by MIT Press.

Instructor of the Responsible Management and Sustainable Economic Development (RMSED) program. From 2006-2008 she served in India as Director of the Valencian Government Foreign Trade Office and from 2004-2006 she was International Trade Advisor at the Commercial Office of the Embassy of Spain in New Delhi (India) gaining broad experience in international commerce and cooperation.  

She holds an MA in International Peace Studies from the University for Peace (Costa Rica), a postgraduate degree in Design of Sustainability from the Open University of Catalonia (Spain), she is an Expert in Mediation from the University of Alicante (Spain) and a BA in Business Administration from the University Cardenal-Herrera CEU (Spain).