As a part of the master’s degree program „International Administration and Conflict Management” (IACM), the annual Geneva field trip took place for its fifth time during the winter semester 2013.

The 15 participants were offered the opportunity to interact with representatives of various international organizations. In this respect, the participants learned about:

• The functioning of the United Nations with their different organs, organizations and programs, most notably through visits at the United Nations Development Program, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and the World Health Organization.
• The World Trade Organization’s approach to trade policy issues.
• The special role of the International Committee of the Red Cross as an organization mentioned in international humanitarian law and its self-conception as a global actor.
• The focus and functions of think tanks such as the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) and Small Arms Survey.
• The role of the German armed forces as part of an interconnected world.

In addition to these official meetings, the students enjoyed a guided city tour full of historical anecdotes as well as a traditional and seasonally appropriate Swiss cheese fondue (considering the early winter’s chilliness).

Expert-informed discussions that proved especially popular were those that allowed for rare insights into international conflicts and the organizations acting in response to these conflicts. The visits with staff members at DCAF and “Small Arms Survey” merit special emphasis, since both think tanks operate in a field-specific and field-responsive manner.

Discussions with a retired General of the French Foreign Legion about such conflict settings as Mali and Libya, or with representatives of “Small Arms Survey” about the difficulties of tracing global weapons flows, illustrated the complexity of converting theoretical knowledge into practical application. In addition to the “collision” of theory and practice, varying points-of-view led to vigorous discussions with the experts.

Besides having the opportunity to gain insight into the theoretical and practical approaches of these organizations, the students were also able to learn more about them as potential future employers in regards to the following criteria:

• Recruitment and hiring practices for interns/young professionals
• Employee work experience: desk work vs. field work
• Personal leeway and freedom of expression in the work environment
• Financial possibilities and constraints of the different organizations
• Educational and job requirements.

The aforementioned insights into the international organizations were enhanced through discussions with Jan Helmchen, a “youth officer” representative from the German armed forces, who accompanied the group throughout the excursion along with Dr. Martin Welz.

As in previous years, this academic excursion was primarily financed by the Cluster of Eexcellence “Cultural Foundations of Social Integration” and the German armed forces .

by Marc Danneberg