Intensive Programme

obligatory courses

Classroom

It is an 8 days initial inter-university joint course that introduces students to:

• The academic and professional profile expected of the Joint European Master's in International Humanitarian Action; Key principles and concepts underlying humanitarian action;

• Main actors in the field of humanitarian relief, their policies and strategies; and

• The World Humanitarian Summit challenges facing humanitarian actors in co-ordinating their activities.

Language of instruction: English

The programme is divided in seven components:

1. Presentation of NOHA educational activities

2. Presentation of the disciplines at hand

3. Humanitarian activities and techniques

4. The ways for improving humanitarian action, namely through innovation and Disaster Risk Reduction

5. People in conflict

6. Open questions about situations, challenging rules and access

7. Security awareness, including simulation exercise

I. Introduction to NOHA educational activities: The NOHA Joint Master’s

The Network on Humanitarian Action (NOHA) is an international association of Universities to enhance professionalism in the Humanitarian sector, by promoting Humanitarian values and providing certificated high level courses (Joint Master’s in International Humanitarian Action), as well as refreshment courses (seasonal NOHA Schools and yearly NOHA Awareness Raising Seminars) and promoting research and policy papers on key humanitarian issues.

The NOHA Joint Master's in International Humanitarian Action is an interuniversity, multidisciplinary postgraduate programme that provides high quality academic education and professional competencies for personnel working or intending to work in the area of humanitarian action. In addition to collaboration and support from the European Union, the NOHA Programme enjoys the backing of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), inter-governmental organisations (IGOs), and other actors of the humanitarian action community with whom the Network has strong collaborative links.

II. Presentation of the different disciplines at hand

The NOHA Master’s first semester encompasses five main pillars. Four of them will be dealt with directly on the first day: International Humanitarian Law (IHL), Project Management, Public Health and Anthropology. Only Geopolitics will not be on the agenda on the first day because it is the most popular among NOHA students and they already hold some knowledge in it. However, even without a lecture or a workshop dedicated to geopolitics, the topic will be addressed indirectly from the onset with a large survey of ongoing displacements and migrations.

Nevertheless, none of these topics can be thoroughly explored during such short sessions which are only the quick start of the year.

III. Humanitarian activities and techniques

This is the main part of the Intensive Programme since students will learn how it all works: from the needs assessment up to the final evaluation of a project. Throughout, they will learn what assistance consists of, which standards are to be followed and how humanitarian actors coordinate in order to avoid gaps and duplications.

IV. The ways for improving humanitarian action, namely through innovation and Disaster Risk Reduction

In order to improve effectiveness, the international community calls upon new technologies. Moreover, an important idea is that reducing the risk of disaster is better than response. However, not all emergencies fit that criterion.

V. People in conflict

The situation of civilians in conflict is usually very harsh even though IHL is due to protect them. Students will learn about IHL rules and principles and their implementation. They will hear about different and new types of conflict which makes implementation more difficult. The film projection will give them a direct impression of the dire situation of women in a protracted never-ending conflict.

VI. Open questions about situations, challenging rules and access

After four days, students will already have some knowledge of the main fields of humanitarian action and its main activities. They will know about trends of the World Humanitarian Summit. However, there are moments where humanitarian actors are faced with such types of violence or distress that humanitarian action cannot solve. There will be a survey of some examples of robust operations aimed at freeing people from fear. CAR, Middle East events and the migration crisis will be on the agenda.

VII. Security awareness and simulation exercise

Security is a major concern for IGOs and NGOs and Donors and no good teaching or training can avoid such a topic. The security awareness session will run over three days, beginning with a lecture in a plenary session by a NGO specialized In the security of humanitarian workers. The second day will be devoted to a security simulation in the open air. And the session will end with a debriefing on the 13th in the morning.

1. The European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid

2. The Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and NGOs in Disaster Relief

3. Humanitarian Access in Situations of armed conflict, Handbook on the Normative Framework

4. Global Humanitarian Assistance Report 2015, ALNAP

5. Professional Standards for Protection Work carried out by humanitarian and human rights actors in armed conflict and other situations of violence, ICRC

6. The protection of civilians mandate in UN Peacekeeping Operations: reconciling protection concepts and practices, International Review of the Red Cross

7. Saving lives today and tomorrow: managing the risk of humanitarian crises, UNOCHA

8. World at War: Global Trends 2014 Forces Displacement

9. World Humanitarian Summit Concept Note

Has demonstrated a basic understanding of the concept of humanitarian action and its relation to some adjacent concepts.

Has shown familiarity with some of the key contemporary humanitarian issues and challenges.

Has demonstrated a basic knowledge of the main actors working in the field of humanitarian action. Understands the NOHA network, its main educational and policy advocacy activities, its key partners, in particular the European Commission’s DG for Humanitarian Aid (ECHO), and the NOHA Alumni Association and its activities.

Has developed a basic ability to work in a multicultural setting.

Has shown to be able to contribute to team building, a balanced distribution of work, and fostering a good atmosphere in a group simulation.

All universities apply a common assessment procedure for the IP - a written academic essay covering the following topic:

Would an improvement of Humanitarian Action solve the migrant crisis?

You should make use of information received at the Intensive Programme, such as the presentations and the compulsory literature, which you may supplement with other relevant literature and prior knowledge.

Assessment Criteria:

Content related assessment (50%):

• Relevance to the statement of discussion;

• Quality of argumentation lines;

• Analytical quality;

• Structure.

Research and format related assessment (50%):

• Quality and quantity of sources used;

• References;

• Language;

• Style;

• Length.

The module is assessed according the home university requirements (national grading system or pass/fail).