23 March 2020, Geneva, Switzerland – Following the signature of a partnership agreement on March 3rd 2020, UNITAR is pleased to launch the first edition of the Master’s in International Affairs and Diplomacy in Lebanon with ESA Business School. 

With its mission to form the elite of Lebanon and the region into the leaders of tomorrow, ESA has become a beacon of academic excellence within Lebanon, and a platform for interaction and meetings between Europe, the Middle East and Lebanon. The School asserts its reach as an important international school, combining the talents of high-level learners and professors who rank among the world’s most preeminent specialists.

The MSc in International Affairs and Diplomacy offers a unique opportunity to dive into the theory and practice of international affairs while building one’s diplomatic skills necessary to flourish in an international work environment.  Not only will students become familiar with the United Nations system and the inherent mechanics of international relations and global diplomacy but they will also benefit from a series of highly interactive UNITAR-run workshops training them in the fields of negotiation, diplomatic writing and media relations among others. The programme also includes an on the job placement within a UN agency or in a private sector entity in order to engage with professionals working daily on diplomatic matters. The students will be given a choice between these two options.

The 1st edition of this one-year programme will start in September 2020 and is intended for students who have already completed the first year of the international master's degree in management. At the end of this Master’s, students will have developed a critical understanding of key issues and concepts in world affairs, analytical and research skills which will enable them to perform in both bilateral and multilateral working environments with confidence.