University for Peace

About

Located in San José, Costa Rica, the University for Peace is an international institution established by the United Nations General Assembly that focuses exclusively on postgraduate education in peace and conflict studies, environmental security, and international law. Academically, the university is best known for its specialized Master of Arts programs in areas like international peace studies, gender and peacebuilding, and responsible management and sustainable economic development, all taught entirely in English. The student body is exceptionally diverse, bringing together mid-career professionals and recent graduates from over fifty countries each year to foster a deeply multicultural and collaborative learning environment. While the main campus is situated in nearby Ciudad Colón, the International Office and Student Services provide comprehensive support ranging from visa assistance to community integration. A uniquely distinctive characteristic of the institution is its dual identity as both an academic university and an international organization, granting its degrees global recognition and embedding practical diplomacy directly into the curriculum.

Background

The University for Peace (UPEACE) is an international university and intergovernmental organization established as a treaty organisation by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 1980. The university offers postgraduate, doctoral, and executive programmes related to the study of peace and conflict, environment and development, and international law. The headquarters of the University for Peace are located in a natural area near Ciudad Colón, Costa Rica. However, the university also has a presence in other countries, notably Somalia and the Netherlands. The charter of the University for Peace, adopted by the UNGA in resolution 35/55 in 1980, defines the mission of the university as follows: "to provide humanity with an international institution of higher education for peace with the aim of promoting among all human beings the spirit of understanding, tolerance and peaceful coexistence, to stimulate cooperation among peoples and to help lessen obstacles and threats to world peace and progress, in keeping with the noble aspirations proclaimed in the Charter of the United Nations."The organization has observer...

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