Why Geneva?

Global policy and governance - a crucial field

In an increasingly interdependent world, understanding the key issues and institutions of international affairs is important. Why do some challenges require multilateral responses and others not? How can evolving issues - such as terrorism, humanitarian crises or HIV-AIDS - be better addressed through global policy processes? How do different organizations, such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, relate to each other? Looking forward, what reforms are required to make governance more effective and accountable?

Geneva - a center of global policy-making and governance

For students interested in questions such as these, Geneva is the place to explore public policy and international affairs. It hosts institutions representing multiple fields of human endeavor - development, education, environment, human health, human rights, humanitarian affairs, international trade, labor, migration, refugee protection, science and technology, sport, telecommunications and transportation - among others. It is home to 23 international organizations, 200 government missions and permanent representatives, and over 300 international non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Geneva hosts the International Labor Organization, the International Meteorological Organization, the International Organization for Migration, the International Telecommunication Union, the United Nation's High Commissioner for Refugees, the World Health Organization, the World Intellectual Property Organization, the World Trade Organization as well as the United Nation's Office in Europe, the World Council of Churches and many other organizations. For its role in international affairs Geneva is known as the "City of Peace."

Geneva is the one of the busiest intergovernmental conference centers in the world, and a focal point for multilateral diplomacy. It has hosted the recipients of 67 Nobel Prizes and been home to some of the world's most celebrated thinkers, politicians and advocates - including Voltaire, Rousseau, and Henri Dunant, the founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). One third of its 400,000 inhabitants originate from one of 150 different nations.

An opportunity to study in Geneva

Geneva is a dynamic and vibrant place to study. Each summer, thousands of young professionals and interns from around the world contribute to the international atmosphere. Located on beautiful Lake Geneva in the heart of Western Europe, Geneva is only a short trip from the Swiss Alps, France, Italy and Spain. Few cities provide better opportunities to learn, grow and develop future career opportunities. For students interested in a career in public policy or international affairs, Geneva is an essential destination.

Based in Geneva, the Program on Global Policy and Governance provides students with these opportunities. It challenges them to wrestle with important questions of international affairs, and inspires them to develop a richer understanding of the principles, practices and prospects of global policy and governance.