The new Masters in Peace and Conflict – an initiative between Blanquerna and IEP, provides students tools to analyse key issues in peace and conflict.
A new university degree fusing the data analysis expertise of the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), and the academic rigour of political science studies has just launched.
Barcelona-based Blanquerna School of Communication and International Relations-Ramon Llull University, has begun inviting postgraduate students to sign-up for the new Masters in Peace, Conflict and Security Studies degree – a joint education initiative between Blanquerna and IEP.
The programme provides students with the tools to analyse key issues in peace and conflict around the world, preparing graduates with the skills to forge a career as practitioners or researchers in the areas of conflict analysis, arms control, international security, conflict prevention, peacemaking and peacebuilding.
Emeritus Professor Tom Woodhouse and co-director of the new degree says it is distinctive from other courses. “It is becoming much clearer that a partnership between a university and a think tank provides the ideal combination to enhance the theory-policy-practise link, to explore debates on contemporary issues in an academically rigorous manner,” Professor Woodhouse said.
“International relations programmes have proliferated across Europe and indeed around the world. However, in recent years new challenges to international peace and security have created a fresh impetus to think creatively. In other words: a good foundation in international relations needs to be complemented with specialised debates and creative thinking in terms of connecting peace, conflict and security.
“Moreover, having two institutions from widely different geographical locations gives an even richer benefit for the student in terms of knowledge, understanding and perspective.
“Most of all, the students will acquire state-of-the-art knowledge, about the theory and practice, of measuring and building peace based on the methodologies and outputs for which IEP is globally renowned.”
Collectively, Blanquerna faculty members bring a wide range of professional experience including expertise in disarmament, conflict management, election assistance and monitoring, conflict resolution, post-conflict peacebuilding and peace activism.
The data-driven research approach of IEP also features in the degree, with participation of experts from the organisation. IEP is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit think tank with offices in Brussels, Zimbabwe, Sydney, New York and Mexico City.
IEP has developed the world’s leading metric to analyse peace and to quantify the economic value of peace, and issues well-known reports such as the Global Peace Index, and the Global Terrorism each year.
Blanquerna School for Communication and International Relations of the Ramon Llull University is based in Barcelona, providing degrees in English, as well as Spanish, and attracts international students from around the world to its campus based in the centre of one of the world’s great cities.
Find more information about the new degree and Blanquerna on the university’s website.
