Career Prospects

By providing core knowledge about how international organisations are structured and function, graduates of our programme are empowered to work in international governmental organisations. Study trips and internships will provide first-hand knowledge and key points of contact. The EU for example employs 32,000 people in the Commission alone, 7,500 in Parliament and 3,500 in the General Secretariat of the Council. The UN General Secretariat has 44,000 employees, many of whom work at the headquarters in Geneva, Rome and Vienna. Additionally, most international organisations maintain field presences in many countries.

Another potential field of employment are international non-governmental organisations. Their number has skyrocketed over the last few decades and currently stands at around 9,000. Europe is at the centre of their activities. Many work in crisis management, protecting human rights, promoting democracy, providing development aid and disaster relief, caring for refugees and building peace after violent conflict. The International Committee of the Red Cross, for example, has 1,200 staff members from 151 nations at its headquarters in Geneva and 17,400 in its regional offices.

International organisations are, besides their secretariats, made up of member states, which keep close contact with their organisations and orchestrate their foreign policies closely, especially when crises are being managed. With the profile you develop during our programme you will be an asset for national administrations (such as ministries and parliaments) as well as missions abroad (such as embassies), which keep day-to-day contact with the secretariats of international organisations and strive to place their own staff in influential positions in those organisations. A large number of ministries in virtually all countries, such as the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, the Ministries of Economics, Finance and Development, and the Ministries of the Interior, are managing international crises.

So-called think tanks settle in the neighbourhood of governments, parliaments, and international organisations in order to influence political decisions on the basis of sound research. Their number has increased dramatically in recent years. Many research institutes such as the International Crisis Group, the European Council on Foreign Relations, and the Global Public Policy Institute have emerged. Political foundations often have their own research institutes and regional offices worldwide.

International crises are the bread and butter of the media, be it television, radio, newspapers and magazines or new media. Media need correspondents who report on the spot in conflict zones, know the relevant actors and are able to place crises in larger contexts.

The international economy is highly networked. Consequently, it is vulnerable to risk. Business associations and industry are often overwhelmed when it comes to assessing potential crises that can significantly undermine their investments, supply and markets. Reducing these uncertainties through competent advice from the outside or inside, for example, through country analyses and training courses or safeguards for companies in areas of risk, might become your professional career in the future.

Last but not least, our research-oriented academic programme should empower our alumnae to carry out demanding academic projects. Given excellent grades, you might want to start a doctoral thesis or even pursue a university career later. Since research on international organisations and / or crisis management is thriving, especially in Europe, and since there is still a lot of backlog after years of neglecting research on international organisations, there are many research gaps and puzzles to solve. You will find excellent support structures for your PhD at our Institute.