Uganda: Distance Learning Certificate of Advanced Studies – Designing Strategies and Projects for Humanitarian Action

Distance Learning Certificate of Advanced Studies - Designing Strategies and Projects for Humanitarian Action.

This Certificate aims to reinforce the knowledge and skills that you require to confront current challenges faced by humanitarian actors working in complex environments. The course emphasizes adaptive and flexible strategies and projects. It focuses on your actual working environment and enables you to reflect on your current practice as you learn.

General Objective:

At the end of the CAS, you will have developed the relevant competencies to design and adapt humanitarian strategies and projects in line with the specifics of each context. You will be able to provide coherent, flexible and creative humanitarian responses taking into account ethical issues and context prerogatives as well as humanitarian principles and your organisation’s mandate.

Learning outcomes in terms of knowledge:

• Understanding of the link between an institutional strategy, an operational strategy and its concrete implementation
• Understanding of the global humanitarian context as well as the sociology of humanitarian actors and fundamental elements of a specific crisis context

• Understanding of the type of humanitarian interventions, humanitarian dilemmas and humanitarian options**Learning outcomes in terms of practical skills:**

• Capacity to analyze a context

• Capacity to frame an adequate strategy of intervention regarding both a specific crisis and the global strategy of the organization

• Capacity to use specialized problem-solving skills

• Capacity to develop creative and flexible procedures to implement a strategy of intervention

• Capacity to monitor and evaluate strategies and projects

• Capacity to communicate and negotiate with stakeholders as well as facilitate participative processes**Learning outcomes in terms of analytical competencies:**

• Ability to choose and adapt best options in challenging and moving complex contexts

• Ability to analyze and critically review strategies of intervention

• Ability to design a plan of action and implement it in your working situation

Structure:

• Initialization
• Key compulsory distance learning courses
• Residential session (11 days in Uganda)
• Learning consolidation (compulsory and elective courses) and implementation of the learning in the working context with coaching
• Closure

Around 450 hours of individual work, including:

• E-learning (courses: E-learning modules, videos, documents, educational games, forum discussions, individual and collective work, research, exercises, reflective analysis)
• Face to face sessions (lectures, case studies, individual and collective work)
• Personal work with coaching (reflective analysis, writing and implementation of an individual plan of action, individual and bilateral work)

Admission Requirements

1. Education & professional experience:
   1. Hold a university master’s, university bachelor’s degree or master’s from a University of Applied Sciences or an equivalent qualification and be able to provide evidence of a minimum of two years’ experience in humanitarian, social or development work
   2. or hold a university baccalaureate, university bachelor’s degree or bachelor’s from a University of Applied Sciences or an equivalent qualification and be able to provide evidence of a minimum of five years’ experience in humanitarian, social or development work
2. Language:
   Have an adequate knowledge of English, i.e. English as a native language or at a level evidenced by a TOEIC, TOEFL or IELTS certificate or equivalent qualification.

3. Technical Requirements:

   1. Daily access to a computer
   2. Daily access to an internet connection to be able to work on the learning platform and download documents
   3. Weekly access to a good internet connection which enables you to access videos
   4. Recommended - Access to a printer

4. Professional Requirements:

   1. Possibility to link your current work and your learning
   2. Recommended - Support from your hierarchy, organization and colleagues

5. Availability:
   10 hrs per week on average

Documents for Application File

1. Completed application form (download application form)
2. Curriculum vitae
3. Copy of the certificate for the highest qualification you have obtained
4. Evidence of your English language competences (TOEIC / TOEFL or equivalent)
5. Copies of work certificates from your last job position
6. A passport photo (jpg format)

Application Submission

• The complete application dossier, including all of the required documents, must be sent electronically to the following email address cerahgeneve@unige.ch.
• Application deadline: 01.12.2016 (for scholarships September 15, 2016)
• Feedback and confirmation:
  • Applicants will receive a feedback on their application 10 days after the application.
  • Applicants will receive an official confirmation.

Admissions Process

• Incomplete applications will not be considered.
• The Selection Committee examines the quality of the application and aims to reach a balance between the number of men and women, type of educational profile and professional experience, as well as geographical distribution and financial contribution.
• A maximum of 20 candidates are selected each year.