The Leadership and Management in Humanitarian Action course takes place over five full days and serves as a unique opportunity to further refine the knowledge, competencies, and skills necessary to address contemporary humanitarian challenges faced by managers and team leaders in the context of humanitarian response, with a particular focus on building the strategic capabilities of mid- to senior-level professionals working in the field. 

Lectures, guided discussions, case studies, and simulation exercises are integrated into a new curriculum narrative. The Leadership and Management in Humanitarian Action course consists of a variety of modules, covering such topics as:

• Core management concepts applicable to international aid
• Governance and accountability structures of humanitarian organizations
• Coordination mechanisms and inter-operability with the UN system
• Review of mandates of key agencies and non-governmental organizations
• Introduction to international human rights and humanitarian law
• Review of guiding humanitarian principles
• Strategic planning, evaluation, and communication
• Leading change in humanitarian policies and operations
• Concepts and tools for human resource management in humanitarian operations
• Security and risk management approaches and methodologies 
• Mobilizing financial resources: tools and methods
• Engagement with communities and accountability toward beneficiaries
• Monitoring, reporting, and fact-finding methods and strategies
• Evaluating output and impact in the humanitarian sector
• Team management under stress

The sessions are developed in close cooperation with the Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research (HPCR) at Harvard University and the International Association for Professionals in Humanitarian Assistance and Protection (PHAP) and are presented by internationally-recognized experts and instructors in humanitarian action.