Why Train With Us?
USIP brings special capabilities to the task of helping practitioners deal with conflict.
- USIP brings leading foreign affairs and conflict management practitioners
and experts from both inside and outside the government. In tailoring
its training programs to meet specific needs, USIP draws
on years of experience and success.
- Training activities benefit from the expertise developed in other
USIP programs. USIP's Fellowship and Rule of Law programs have earned worldwide recognition
for their quality and policy relevance. Researchers associated with
USIP projects on the Balkans and Religion and Peacemaking also regularly help conduct USIP training programs.
- Outside research on training methods conducted through the Grant
program enriches USIP's training expertise.
Partners and Audiences
- USIP developed a network of training partnerships with
diplomatic, military, and research institutions worldwide. These partnerships
help USIP reach key audiences with relevant skills-training
programs.
- Recent training programs have been developed in partnership with
the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Defense, the Inter-American Defense College, Institute for Defense Analyses, the United Nations
and its constituent organizations, the ASEAN Regional Forum, the Council
on Security Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific, the Organization of American
States, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the
Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy, the Hunt Alternatives
Foundation, Harvard University, the American Friends Service Committee and several governments.
- Approximately 1,500 foreign affairs, national security, public security,
and humanitarian relief practitioners participate annually in USIP's training programs. Participants include diplomats, government
officials, police, and military personnel from the United States and
dozens of foreign countries. In addition, most USIP training
programs include representatives of international and non-governmental
organizations and practitioners of unofficial or "Track II" diplomacy.
- Since USIP training programs are usually arranged in partnership
with other organizations, admission is generally by invitation; training
seminars and workshops are normally not open to unofficiated applicants.
Objectives
While each training program is tailored to meet specific goals that
are agreed in advance with the partner organization, USIP's
general training objectives include:
- Analyzing the life cycles of conflicts, from escalation through postconflict transition;
- Assisting participants to think critically and creatively about
practical political and societal alternatives for dealing with conflict
situations, with emphasis on developing analytical tools for formulating
and implementing prevention strategies and response options;
- Developing nuanced understanding of the roles of various official
(Track I) and unofficial (Track II) individuals and institutions,
including their objectives, capabilities, and constraints;
- Exploring strategies for enhancing coordination among Track I and
Track II parties;
- Developing negotiating skills;
- Learning how to work effectively with or as a third party, including
techniques of facilitation, negotiation, and mediation; and
- Providing structured and challenging opportunities to share experiences
with other professionals, to develop working relationships, to
broaden networks of individuals involved in conflict management, and to jointly explore problem-solving approaches.
Methodology
Although each course is tailored for its particular audience, USIP
focuses on a number of core competencies, including:
- Conflict analysis;
- Problem-solving strategies;
- Negotiation skills; and
- Third-party skills such as facilitation and mediation.
USIP programs often include:
- An introduction to conflict analysis and management;
- Skill-building exercises in analysis, negotiation, facilitation, and mediation;
- Simulation exercises to integrate the skills learned; and
- Problem-solving workshops aimed at addressing real-world problems in which participants are involved.
