The Diploma in Conflict Resolution: Skills Development places a special emphasis on globally accepted conflict resolution methods and techniques aimed at improving the skills of the practitioners. This programme is offered in collaboration with the United Nations University for Peace (UPEACE) and is expected to form the nucleus of conflict resolution and peace studies in Sri Lanka with a view to networking the South Asian region under the Asia Pacific Programme of the UPEACE.

Our Mission is to develop skills for the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts in the family, community, and the nation through the utilization of globally accepted and time-tested theories, processes and techniques in negotiation and mediation which ensure equitable, practical and lasting agreements.

Our Vision is to become the Nucleus of Conflict and Peace Studies.

Skills development in negotiation, mediation is an important means to support societies that are in the midst of war or shifting away from war. The Diploma in Conflict Resolution: Skills Development offered by the BCIS aims at supporting the peace process by training various actors in highly practical skills and techniques. The course moves from an engagement with different conceptions of conflict and different ways of thinking about conflict resolution to skills training that will allow participants to be positive contributors for the sustainable transformation of conflicts.

The methodology of the course is highly participatory, with numerous simulation exercises, role plays and other opportunities to put the skills learnt into practice. Numerous case studies from around the world will add a rich diversity to the course, ensuring that the best international thinking is available through lessons learnt and best practices drawn from exemplary international cases. The course is nevertheless highly specialised to meet the needs of conflict resolution in the Sri Lankan context. Numerous Sri Lankan case studies will be developed and skills will be contextualised in potential or real situations that participants may face or have faced.

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• Development of an awareness of the complex and interconnected nature of the challenges to peace and conflict resolution
• Critical engagement with key contested concepts relevant to the area of peace and conflict studies
• Improvement of applied critical thinking
• Enhancement of ability to analyse complex conflict scenarios in a methodologically sound and rigorous fashion using variations of a conflict mapping methodology
• Encouragement of interactive approach to the evaluation of theory through practice and, practice through theory
• Application of a case study methodology for working with theory and concepts
• Application of theories, concepts and models to a familiar national, social, cultural context

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This programme is suitable for all stakeholders, members of peace structures, members of Armed Forces and Police, officials attached to NGOs (both international and local) associated with peace-building, conflict resolution and conflict management, journalists, researchers, academics, diplomatic staff, law/policy makers, members of the civil society organisations and concerned individuals.

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The course will be taught using a mixture of lectures, seminars, workshops and discussions. Typically one session will comprise a lecture of approximately 1 to 1½ hours and a discussion of about 1 to 1½ hours. The discussions are guided pertaining to the lectures and to the assigned readings, the development of concepts introduced or emerged from the lectures, readings, case studies and personal experiences (story telling). There will be simulation exercises and role plays throughout the programme. In addition to the resource persons from the UPEACE, international conflict resolution experts who visit Sri Lanka from time to time to support the peace process will be invited to cover specific topics/themes of the course whereas the basic topics will be covered by an eminent panel of Sri Lankan scholars/practitioners.

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The UPEACE is the only member of the United Nations family authorised to award degrees at the M.A. and Ph.D. level. With its headquarters in San Jose, Costa Rica, UPEACE aims to participate in the generation of a worldwide movement of education for peace. Course materials are developed and tested at the Costa Rica campus in a multi-cultural environment including students and faculty from around the world. Working with the partners, these materials are then adopted to fit the specific educational needs of their institutions and organisations, but always maintain a firm basis in diverse perspectives that conform to the continuing development of UPEACE course materials.

The lessons learnt through the use of these materials in UPEACE regional programmes are then incorporated into the overall package of materials. The Diploma offered by the BCIS is fully supported by the UPEACE in terms of the curriculum, course material and simulation exercises. The training of the local facilitators / resource persons and performance evaluation of the diploma candidates will also be carried out by the UPEACE, thus making this programme unique in the field of conflict resolution and the first of its kind in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, certificates awarded to the successful candidates will bear the full accreditation of the UPEACE.

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The next course will starting onSeptember 2007 and will be held every Saturday from 9.00am to 1.00pm until February 2008.

Course Fee

The cost of the full programme per participant is Rs. 120,000/- payable in full at the time of registration. However, the BCIS is pleased to offer concessions of 75% and 50% for officials nominated by Government Departments and registered NGOs respectively through a project grant.

Contact details

For more information, please call-over at the BCIS, new building (opposite Bandaranaike Museum, BMICH), Tuesdays through Saturdays between 9.00 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and 1.30 p.m. to 5.00 p.m. (Kindly note that the BCIS office is closed on Sundays and Mondays.) or write to:

Head of the Department
Department of Peace and Conflict Studies
BCIS, BMICH, Bauddhaloka Mawatha,
Colombo 07.
Tel.: 2691175 or 2687118, 2676980, 2698019 Ext. 7033
Fax: 2691176
E-mail: dcrp@bcis.edu.lk , pocrps@bcis.edu.lk

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