ONLINE COURSES Welcome to the Network University’s courses on Conflict Transformation The Network University offers three award-winning, interactive ONLINE courses on conflict transformation focused on: Gender and Conflict Transformation (January 24 – February 18, 2005) Transforming Civil Conflicts (March 15 – April 8, 2005) Youth Transforming Conflict (May 5 – May 26, 2005) Recent history has witnessed a rapid increase in the number of violent civil conflicts. Professional organisations, working in conflict areas, have learned that they need to understand the dynamics of conflict transformation in order to effectively interact with the breakdown in social cohesion, community disintegration, marginalisation, and increasing social injustice that characterise these situations. The Network University's offers three, very different but complementary, learning experiences designed to assist individuals and organisations in developing the skills they need. The overall objectives of the online, interactive, courses are: To develop a better understanding of the theories and conceptual frameworks of conflicts and their relevance in practice To develop competences related to conflict analysis To encourage the development of effective intervention strategies To learn how to apply the appropriate strategy to the specifics of the conflict situation To share experiences from research and practice in order to develop new insights in conflict transformation To further develop a network of conflict related organisations and institutions. Participants who successfully complete the course will receive a certificate from the Network University. If you would like to have more information for yourself or for others please click on the title of the course. This will lead you to the demo page with specific information for each course. Our Methodology The Network University's approach to online learning is different to a regular distant learning programme. In our courses, you receive intensive, constant, high quality coaching from a range of experts and professionals throughout the course. You can send your questions to our coaches who are available, via our online call centre 14 hours a day, to provide you with personal feedback. The course uses a variety of interactive methods to stimulate critical thinking on why, when and how to apply conflict transformation. You choose to work on a conflict of your choice and are encouraged to develop specific plans of action that can be shared with your constituencies. Every week there will be different assignments aimed at stimulating further discussion in which you can learn from the experiences of others whilst deepening your understanding of the material. The whole programme is taught and supervised on the Internet, in English. Because we coach from different continents simultaneously, you can receive personal feedback in either French, German or Dutch. You enter the course with an individual password and participate at your own convenience, pace and level of intensity for the duration of the course. A minimum commitment of 8-10 hours per week is required. This may involve reading, discussing, questioning or developing your own strategy for conflict transformation. About us The Network University (TNU) is a centre for collaborative learning. TNU is rooted in the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. It offers innovative courses via the Internet to a worldwide audience of students and professionals. Participants with different professional backgrounds share their experiences in interactive group discussions and assignments. They become co-producers in joint knowledge networks. Our activities are aimed at generating new knowledge and insights on some of today's key social challenges. These activities include the development and supervision of online courses, online debates, commissioned research, workshops combining online and face-to-face learning experiences and consultancy and strategy development on E-learning. The goal of TNU is to be one of the world's most innovative institutions of higher learning which: creates networks between universities and social organisations in Europe and beyond; offers manifold opportunities of inspiring collaborative and competence based learning in degree-programmes and expert-courses; offers participants access to broad knowledge networks. Moderators and coaches: Claske Dijkema, France/Netherlands, TNU course developer and coordinator, gender specialist and researcher. Has been previously involved with ACCORD in Africa and also worked in China. Ditta Dolejsiova, Slovakia, TNU course developer and coordinator, youth specialist and youth trainer with the Council of Europe. Lara van Druten, South Africa, co-director of TNU, senior consultant for Atos KPMG consulting, expert on ICT and development. Judy El-Bushra, UK, coach and course developer, researcher in the field of gender and conflict analysis, former director of research and policy programmes ACORD Jeannie Grussendorf, USA, coach, researcher and lecturer at the Centre for Conflict Resolution, Dept. of Peace Studies, University of Bradford, England, U.K. Gerd Junne, Germany, professor in International Relations at the University of Amsterdam, researcher for, amongst others, UN, FAO, ILO, the EU and Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Current research and teaching interest “Peacemaking and Peacekeeping” and “Post-Conflict Development”. Vic Klabbers, Netherlands, co-director of TNU, expert on ICT and education, professional moderator of online processes. Hanneke Oudkerk, Netherlands, TNU coach, University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands, researcher on empowerment of indigenous women. Programme Course Coordinator Youth Transforming Conflict Ditta Dolejsiova Transforming Civil Conflict Hanneke Oudkerk Gender and Conflict Transformation Claske Dijkema Course fees: For the specific course fees please consult the demo pages of the course you are interested in.