10th Course on Teaching Refugee Law for Academics and Trainers

ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT

10^th Course on Teaching Refugee Law for Academics and Trainers

7 September – 2 October 2026, Online

Live sessions of the Course will be held from 12.00 pm to 2.00 pm, Rome time, 2–3 sessions per week. Please, click here to check your time zone.

© UNHCR/Shawkat Alharfoush

The Online Course on Teaching Refugee Law focuses on supporting the process of designing and delivering effective training programs, tailored sessions, and academic curricula on international refugee law and forced displacement.

The Course presents the latest design and delivery methodologies, presentation techniques, and learning tools used to make teaching on refugee law topics more effective. Participants will be able to learn from their peers and work with other academics and trainers worldwide in practical and collaborative exercises.This Course is part of the pledges made by the Department at the Global Refugee Forum to support the capacities of governments, academic institutions, civil society, and international organizations in promoting international refugee law.

Important Notice: The Online Course does not focus on the content of international refugee law itself but on the best methods and means used to teach and promote its principles and content. Therefore, applicants are expected to have knowledge of international law.

Overall objectives

The main goals of the Online Course are to:

Enhance the skills of trainers and academics based on the latest learning methodologies and tools, focusing particularly on the design and delivery of online and face-to-face training;
Empower national governmental training officials and academics to:
- Raise awareness of and advocate for the protection of refugees and other forcibly displaced;
- Develop and enhance sound and up-to-date training programs in methodology and structure;
Allow participants to directly apply and practice instructional design methodologies and techniques;
Create an environment of exchange of best practices and experiences among participants, practitioners, and learning experts;
Identify areas of cooperation between institutions represented in the Course.

Target audience

The Course is developed primarily to benefit the following profiles of participants:

Training officers from state training centers and academies involved in capacity building of government officials and other civil servants;
University professors and other faculty members involved in teaching refugee law or other related areas of law at the undergraduate or postgraduate level or managing legal clinics for the provision of legal assistance to refugees and asylum-seekers;
Trainers from international and civil society organizations engaged in internal training programs and capacity building of governmental, academic, and civil society partners.

It is important for participants to have a very good knowledge of the language of the Course, in order to be able to consult background materials, attend lessons, and participate in group works and discussions (no simultaneous translation is available).

Methodology

The four-week agenda is based on the ADDIE instructional design framework, adjusted and contextualized with examples of teaching international refugee law applicable in various settings.

Weeks are composed of up to three live sessions and self-paced sessions.

Live sessions are pre-scheduled and usually last 120 minutes. These are delivered via Zoom for Education;
Self-paced sessions are completed at participants’ own pace and must be undertaken before the beginning of each following class. These consist of interactive modules which include short questionnaires or assignments, and/or selected reference materials.

The Online Course strikes a balance between theory and practice and is delivered through a participatory and creative teaching methodology aimed at facilitating the learning process and implementing the knowledge gained throughout the training. Sessions include lectures, presentations, case studies, group work, role plays, and other activities responding to diverse audiences’ learning styles and providing participants with the opportunity to exchange best practices with their colleagues and expert facilitators.

REGISTRATION FORM

Available Soon

Registration deadline: 24 August 2026

PROGRAMME

Queries on the course registration and administrative questions should be directed at admission.unit@iihl.org.

Duration:
5 weeks

Language:
English

Registration fee:
€ 750

End of course:
Official certificate

Application Procedure

Language

Certificate

Participation quota amounts to € 750. It must be remitted before the start of the Course by bank transfer. Visa and/or Mastercard are also accepted on the website of the Institute (click here).

A limited number of scholarships are available for the Course and are allocated only in the selection process following the application deadline. In deciding upon the recipients of scholarships, the Institute looks to establish a cohort balanced in terms of geographical representation, gender, educational/professional background, and other elements that contribute to a rich, diverse discussion.

The Registration Form offers the possibility of indicating that the applicant requires a scholarship. Applicants with lived experience of forced displacement and statelessness are encouraged to apply.

The course will be conducted in English and reasonable language proficiency is required. There will not be simultaneous translation.

The official Certificate will be awarded only to those who attend the Course in full, including participation in live and self-paced sessions, and completion of assignments.

ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT