POSTGRADUATE MASTER PROGRAMME
Multilateralism and Global Governance
The UN Charter: Our Blueprint
Join the Class of 2027–2028
Global chaos must be replaced by diplomacy, dialogue and respect for international law under the UN Charter. The joint work of all international organizations at all levels — universal, regional and sub-regional — must once again become the mechanism of international cooperation, building a new and more effective system. Our mission is to train the future experts to make this happen.
Course overview
This 60 ECTS, 8-month programme — combining coursework, an internship period and a final thesis — is led by experts actively engaged in international organizations and diplomatic roles, offering students direct, first-hand insight into the fields they study. Tutoring for the final thesis is carried out jointly by these practitioners and academic members affiliated with the Institute, ensuring rigorous, high-quality guidance throughout the programme.
Why choose this course?
Multilateral Institutions European Union · Council of Europe · Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) · Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) · Organization of American States (OAS) · United Nations and its agencies (UNDP, UNICEF, WFP, UN Women, FAO, UNHCR, UNESCO) · World Bank
Future Topics Peace, Human Rights, Democracy and Development · International Commerce · Global Security and New Defense Terms · Integration and Cooperation · Human Security · International Rule of Law
Core Bodies and Themes New International Order · Global Institutions and Diplomacy · Multilateral Negotiations · Global Governance and Regional Multilateralism · Cooperation for Development · Agenda 2030 and Beyond
193 UN Member States, and almost as many international and regional organizations, need new experts. The new multilateralism needs effectiveness to once again become the centre of international dynamics. We need to reform international institutions — not in their purpose, but in their way of acting — so that they achieve the objectives set by the great international treaties.
Who is it for?
Is It For?
- Graduates in any university discipline who want to be part of the new international global cooperation system
- Public administration officials with an international career focus
- NGO, think-tank and private sector professionals with global operations
- Diplomats in training or in service seeking specialization
- Candidates for international diplomatic careers, national and multilateral
This course is ideal for individuals looking to deepen their knowledge of international organizations, particularly in the areas of human rights and multilateral democracy.
Why select these courses?
- Live debates with experts and representatives of governing authorities.
- Collaborative online tools and live interactions fostering networking opportunities with peers.
- Small class sizes to enhance interaction and communication with instructors.
- Hands-on exercises, real-world simulations, and case studies led by experts.
- Direct access to experts and lecturers for personalized feedback and guidance.
International Faculty, Multilateral Experts & Professors
80% of classes taught by experts working in multilateral organizations, cooperation specialists and professionals from the global financial system.
Classes + Thesis + Debates
One full month dedicated to open debates on topics chosen by the students. One additional month dedicated to the elaboration of the final thesis.
International Internships (Optional)
Agreements with 25+ bodies: UN Geneva HQ, European Parliament, OECD Paris, foreign ministries and international organizations worldwide.
Applied Research
Dissertations coordinated by university professors in collaboration with multilateral experts and institutional partners.
Voices
“If you are not at the table, you are on the menu. A call on small and medium powers to unite around shared values.”
— EU Council Priorities, Davos 2026
“It’s good to be back in Davos. Your focus this year is on collaboration for the intelligent age, and it is a noble vision. But let’s face it, when many people look around the world, they don’t see much collaboration… We are living in an increasingly rudderless world.”
— Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada, Davos 2026
“Effective and inclusive multilateral institutions, with the United Nations at their core, are the best means to ensure peace, security, human rights, prosperity and sustainable development for all.”
— António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations, January 2026
Course Details
- Hours per Course: 700 hours delivered over 5 days per week and English, with online classes. and in site clases.
- Final Report:/Thesis Written in Spanish, English, or French. The two best reports from each course will be published in the HRGH Newsletter.
- Professional Development Workshop and internshisps.
- Cost: To be determined.
NEW MULTILATERAL ORDER
01 — Foundations of the New International Order
This module examines the history of multilateralism, the challenges it has faced, and the transformations it continues to undergo. It addresses questions of effectiveness and efficiency alongside the values and ethics that must underpin 21st-century multilateralism. Rather than a closed body of knowledge, this is conceived as the opening chapter of an ongoing, permanent debate — one in which students are invited to actively question how international organizations must transform to remain relevant in a world where they are needed more than ever, yet too often fail to deliver.
02 — Global Institutions and Organizations
This module maps the architecture of multilateralism — universal, regional and sub-regional institutions — alongside emerging forms of cooperation driven by civil society. Far from a static inventory, the module treats this institutional landscape as a live and contested space: students will debate which structures still serve their original purpose, which require reform, and which new forms of cooperation may be needed to respond to a rapidly changing world.
03 — Multilateral Negotiation and Diplomacy
In a world fractured by unilateral action and the erosion of trust between states, diplomacy is not a relic of the past but the indispensable tool of the future. This module trains students in the techniques and methods of diplomatic negotiation, the art of reaching agreement and consensus among parties with divergent interests, and the legal weight that transforms a negotiated text into a binding commitment. At a time when many question whether dialogue can still prevail over confrontation, this module makes the case that skilled, principled diplomacy remains the only viable path toward a more stable and cooperative international order — and prepares students to be among those who practice it.
04 — Global Governance and the 2030 Agenda
The United Nations system, with all its agencies, remains the closest thing humanity has to a common institutional home — yet it is also an organization in urgent need of renewal. This module examines the UN system in depth and engages directly with the ongoing transformation process underway to make it fully effective and efficient. Students will be invited to take part in this debate, not as observers but as future contributors to the reform that the UN, and the multilateral system built around it, cannot afford to postpone.
05 — Regional Multilateral Organizations in Depth
Beyond the United Nations, an entire architecture of regional and sub-regional cooperation shapes daily political, economic and social life across continents. This module offers an in-depth study of the European Union, the Council of Europe, the OSCE, the OECD and the OAS, alongside sub-regional organizations across Latin America, Africa and Asia. Students will examine how these institutions function in practice, where they succeed, where they fall short, and what role they must play in a future where regional cooperation is increasingly central to global stability.
06 — Topics on the Table
This module brings together the central issues currently shaping the multilateral agenda: development, international commerce, global finance, the role of the IMF and the World Bank, security, global defence, and emerging models of civil society engagement. Rather than treating these as separate silos, the module approaches them as interconnected challenges that demand coordinated, multilateral responses — equipping students with the breadth of understanding needed to engage with the complex realities now on the table of international decision-making.
07 — Cooperation for Development
Development cooperation remains one of the most concrete expressions of multilateral solidarity. This module covers Official Development Assistance, North-South and South-South cooperation, development financing mechanisms, the role of multilateral development banks, and the practical implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Students will explore how cooperation frameworks must continue to evolve to remain effective, equitable and genuinely transformative in addressing global inequality.