Information

14-23 May 2025
Application start 5 August 2024
Application end 30 April 2025
Fee: 1250 Swiss Francs

Downloads

Flyer >

The Rules Governing the Use of Force in International Law

Yemen,  Sana'a, Faj Attan district. Destruction. Yemen,  Sana'a, Faj Attan district. Destruction.

Descriptive

This online short course provides an overview of the content and evolution of the rules governing the use of unilateral force in international law, including military intervention on humanitarian grounds and the fight against international terrorism. It focuses on the practice of states and international organizations.

This course focuses on the practice of states and international organizations. It has two main closely related objectives. First, it provides an overview of the content and evolution of the rules governing the use of unilateral force in international law, including military intervention on humanitarian grounds and the fight against international terrorism. During the course, the legal issues raised by the main recent cases of unilateral force, especially Kosovo (1999), Iraq (2003), Syria (since 2014), Ukraine (2014 and 2022), and Gaza (since 2023), as well as their normative implications will be thoroughly and critically analysed. Second, the course will address the key features, evolution and shortcomings of the United Nations collective security system, from its creation in 1945 to the so-called authorization practice, which was inaugurated during the first Gulf Crisis (1990-1). The interventions in Libya (2011) and Mali (2012-3) will serve to trigger a discussion on the role of the United Nations and regional organizations in maintaining and restoring international peace and security.

Online

This is an online short course.

Schedule

Classes will take place online during lunchtime on:

  • Wednesday, 14 May 2025, 12:00–14:00 (CET)
  • Thursday, 15 May 2025, 12:00–14:00 (CET)
  • Friday, 16 May 2025, 12:00–14:00 (CET)
  • Wednesday, 21 May 2025, 12:00–14:00 (CET)
  • Thursday, 22 May 2025, 12:00–14:00 (CET)
  • Friday, 23 May 2025, 12:00–14:00 (CET)

Audience

This course forms part of the Geneva Academy Executive Master in International Law in Armed Conflict. It is open to professionals – diplomats, lawyers, legal advisers, judges, NGO staff, human rights advocates, media specialists, professionals working in emergency situations, UN staff and staff from other international organizations – who are not enrolled in the Executive Master and who want to deepen their expertise in this specific issue.

Fee

The fee for this short course is 1,250 Swiss Francs. In case of cancellation by the participants, CHF 200 won't be returned.

Certificate

Participants obtain a certificate at the end of the course (no ECTS credits are gained).

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted via this online form.

If you encounter problems with your application, do not hesitate to contact us.

Your application will need to include:

  • A short motivation letter (no more than one page)
  • Your curriculum vitae
  • Proof of your competence in English (a certificate or statement highlighting your solid background in English)
  • Once admitted to the course, participants receive instructions on how to pay. Proof of payment is required before you begin the course.

Professor and Lecturer

Picture of Tarcisio Gazzini

Tarcisio Gazzini

Professor of international law at the University of Padua

Tarcisio Gazzini is Professor of International Law at the University of Padua.

Location

Online course

Access

The course will be conducted online using the ZOOM platform.

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

LLM students pleading at the Geneva Academy News

LLM Students Plead on IHL Violations in Gaza and the West Bank

24 April 2024

Half of the class of our LLM in International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights pleaded on 20 April on the current armed conflict in and around Gaza.

Read more

Cover page of the book News

‘The 1949 Geneva Conventions: A Commentary’ is Now Available in Paperback!

27 February 2018

In this ground-breaking commentary, conducted under the auspices of the Geneva Academy, over sixty international law experts investigate the application of the Geneva Conventions and explain how they should be interpreted today.

Read more

Cover page of the book Event

Book Launch - International Law and the Principle of Non-Intervention: History, Theory, and Interactions with Other Principles

7 October 2024, 18:30-20:00

In this book launch our Swiss IHL Chair, Professor Marco Roscini, will discuss the main findings of his new book on the principle of non-intervention with leading experts.

Read more

The UN Security Council Short Course

Introduction to Public International Law and Subjects of the International Legal Order

25 September - 16 October 2024

This online short course focuses on the role of public international law in international relations and on international legal persons.

Read more

Short Course

The Law of Non-International Armed Conflicts

6-21 February 2025

This online short course discusses the protection offered by international humanitarian law (IHL) in non-international armed conflicts (NIACs) and addresses some problems and controversies specific to IHL of NIACs, including the difficulty to ensure the respect of IHL by armed non-state actors.

Read more

Libya, Misrata, Tripoli Street. Combattants carefully move into a building. Project

Armed Non-State Actors and the Protection of Civilians

Completed in March 2010

This research project looked at the reactions to norms of more than 30 armed groups worldwide.

Read more

A session of the UN Human Rights Council Project

IHL Expert Pool

Started in January 2022

The IHL-EP works to strengthen the capacity of human rights mechanisms to incorporate IHL into their work in an efficacious and comprehensive manner. By so doing, it aims to address the normative and practical challenges that human rights bodies encounter when dealing with cases in which IHL applies.

Read more