The International Civilian Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding Training Programme (IPT) is a practically oriented training programme for experts of various professional backgrounds who work – or aim to work – as civilians in crisis management and conflict prevention.

The main objectives of the IPT are to prepare staff for work in conflict prevention and international peace operations, as well as to provide advanced training to strengthen the capacity of staff already on mission. IPT alumni are equipped with solid general preparation, as well as function-specific knowledge and skills for peacekeeping and peacebuilding activities.

The IPT programme consists of a Core Course, as well as various Specialization Courses and Master Classes.
The Core Course provides participants with basic knowledge and skills required in post-conflict and crisis areas. The course methodology should enhance desirable personal attitudes, stress the importance of active involvement in the host society and promote a reflective and critical approach. Building upon the Core Course (CC) and back-to-back with it, IPT offers Specialization Courses (SC) for function-specific duties in the field. The recently introduced Master Classes (MC) focus on internationally renowned experts utilising their specific fields of expertise in an intensive training programme. A former attendence in an IPT CC or a relevant professional field experience is highly recommended for applicants to SC and MC programmes.

Existing courses are regularly reshaped and updated, and new topics are constantly explored, developed, and piloted.

IPT faculty is drawn from a pool of international resource persons who combine theoretical knowledge with extensive practical field experience.
IPT places a high priority on the heterogeneity of both faculty and participants. Much like in a mission environment, people with different backgrounds, areas of expertise, and organisational cultures are expected to work together. IPT has been the first training of its kind after the UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali´s Agenda for Peace called for a better trained civilian component in crisis management missions. As immediate response, the first IPT training was conducted at Schlaining Peace Castle in 1993.

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In the past 24 years, over 1,928 civilian experts from about 125 different countries have been trained. Training curricula and standards developed in the framework of IPT have fed into training standards of international organisations like OSCE, EU, and UN.

IPT trainings are in line with European training standards.

Conditions of Participation

Applicants should be motivated and willing to engage in peacekeeping and peace-building activities in crisis regions.

Precondition to attend a specialisation course is to have participated in one of our Core Courses or similar basic mission preparation training. Sufficient work experience in crisis management missions can be considered in lieu of a Core Course.

Applicants must have good command of the English language.

Applicants should be in a good state of physical and mental health.
This is not only necessary for later deployment, but also for some of the outdoor training activities.

Taking into account recruitment standards of international organisations, participants should

  • be aged preferably between 25 and 60
  • have expertise and relevant work experience in their respective areas of professional competence
  • have at least a first level university degree or equivalent professional experience
  • be able and willing to work in a team and within a multicultural environment
  • have a valid driving license
  • be computer literate

Scholarships

Although most of the participants of the IPT courses are self-funded as IPT/ASPR do not have the resources to offer financial support for the participants, a limited number of scholarships, funded by the Government of the Republic of Austria, are awarded to qualified applicants coming from developing countries and reform states according to the DAC List of ODA Recipients.

To apply for such support, candidates have to indicate this in the relevant section of the application form and give reasons for their request in a scholarship essay. Scholarships cover, in part or fully, tuition fees and full board accommodation during the training.

After the application deadline, the admissions board will screen all applications and decide about the allocation of scholarships. Applicants will be informed about the outcome of the scholarship application in the letter of invitation.

Please note that IPT cannot support or award scholarships for travel expenses, insurance, and visa fees.

For applicants from OECD Countries (incl. Austria)

  • Applicants from Austria and other OECD countries may ask their employer or funding agencies for support.
  • Austrian civil servants may ask their respective institution to pay the cost of participation.
  • The Austrian Arbeitsmarktservice (AMS) does fund participation in IPT courses.
  • Austrian applicants are advised to search www.kursfoerderungen.at for options of support.

Applicants from OECD or non-OECD countries already employed by international organisations – at headquarters or in field missions (e.g. Asian Development Bank, OSCE, UN) – are in principle not eligible for scholarships and are advised to ask their organisation for support.

How to apply

Applicants must fill in an online application form and upload supporting documents in one file.

To apply for one of our IPT courses, please click here.

To complete the application, you will be asked to upload:

  • Your Curriculum Vitae
  • A recent photograph
  • A scan of the data page of your passport

Please upload these documents in one file – the file name should be your “first name, last name”.

Scholarship applications must be submitted before the scholarship application deadline, which can be found in the course description. We cannot provide financial support for travel expenses.

After the scholarship deadline, only applications of self-financed candidates can be considered. The ASPR will notify applicants about the decision of the admission board shortly after the scholarship application deadline.

Selected participants must subsequently confirm their participation and transfer a down payment of €250 to the IPT account before the deadline indicated in the letter of invitation.

You are kindly requested to transfer the rest of the course fee before the beginning of the IPT course. Otherwise we are not able to consider your application effective. You are encouraged to transfer the entire course fee in one sum (including the down payment) to the IPT account to save on banking costs. (For our refund policy, see FAQ.)

IPT is firmly committed to a policy of non-discrimination against any person on the basis of sex, age, race, religion, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation or other grounds.

Should you have any questions about the application process or encounter any difficulties, please contact Ms. Silvia Polster at ipt@aspr.ac.at

For more information,please visit https://www.aspr.friedensburg.at/training-programmes/ipt/scholarships/

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