Civil Peace Service: Supporting Universities in developing and implementing peace and conflict study programmes in Timor-Leste, the Philippines and Cambodia

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Context

The development of peace and conflict transformation study programmes in the global south is limited due to lack of expertise and resources. Violent conflicts in the past have devastated academic institutions, hindering their ability to contribute effectively to durable peace through education. Universities in fragile states, however, still play a crucial role in supporting long-term peacebuilding by engaging in peace processes, collaborating with multilevel actors, developing conflict transformation skills, and fostering dialogue platforms. They are vital for development processes as innovation centers for socio-political issues and providers of safe spaces for discussing sensitive topics. They also bridge the gap between theory and practice by researching effective approaches to non-violent conflict transformation. Through teaching and research, universities contribute to eliminating the normalisation of violence and promote social transformation to prevent social violence.

Objective

Selected universities in Southeast Asia have successfully developed and implemented context related courses on peacebuilding and conflict transformation thereby increasing the chances of durable peace in the region.

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Approach

The programme engages Civil Peace Service Advisors who provide technical and personnel support to partner universities to design peacebuilding curricula. This includes:

taking on and applying best practices from local and traditional methods in non-violent conflict transformation and conducting peace action research
integrating partner universities into global exchange programmes and research projects by cooperating with the Center for Conflict Research of Philipps University Marburg

Among its many activities, the application of the CPS approach will include:

building a bridge between theory and practice by creating linkages between academic knowledge and civil society approaches
fostering intergenerational dialogue
promoting peace action research and current methodologies
establishing a regional network of experts in peace and conflict studies
supporting global exchange of best practices and enabling knowledge exchange through digital platforms.

Last update: March 2024