Our events

The Human Rights Summer School

The Essex Human Rights Summer School will cover various topics related to professional practice in human rights. Taught by an international faculty of leading experts in the field, the Summer School will examine human rights research methods, advocacy and campaigning strategies, and aspects of professional development. The programme includes sessions that address growing challenges human rights professionals face and highlights opportunities to overcome them. The Summer School curriculum is designed to build the capacity of both mid-career human rights professionals and postgraduate students to be successful human rights defenders and researchers.

The teaching programme covers a range of research methods and skills necessary for successful human rights practice and professional development. In addition to modules covering various research methods, the curriculum includes sessions on advocacy, organisational management, coping strategies and practitioner case studies.

It is an ideal course for postgraduate students, academics, lawyers and human rights professionals working in NGOs, government and international organisations. and will take place online, over two weeks.

The Human Rights Leadership Lab

Interested in a short course in Human Rights? The Human Rights Leadership Lab is a supportive and reflective learning space to develop your leadership presence, skills and impact. It is the first-ever leadership development training specifically designed to meet the needs of activists and leaders and managers working for human rights organisations.

Learn how to better motivate, empower and lead our people and build healthier and more sustainable working environments using a human rights values-based leadership approach. Together we will reflect upon some of the practical challenges and dilemmas faced in a human rights space, including how to deal with traumatic content and the stressful nature of the work.

You will acquire concrete tools and skills to practice human rights values-based leadership and take your leadership ability, skills and presence to the next level.

This short course is suitable for human rights professionals and will take place online. There will be six, four-hour sessions held over 6 weeks.

Conflict and International Law: A Field-Based Training Course

The Essex Human Rights Centre presents a week-long practical development course, covering a range of topics related to the field of humanitarian aid, UN and diplomatic work.

Taught by leading practitioner in the field, Dr Conor Foley, the course runs over five days at our Colchester campus and consists of a mixture of lectures, interactive exercises, skills and scenario-based activities, equipping participants with a realistic introduction to the challenges they are likely to face in the field.

This short course is suitable for Post-graduate students and professionals who may be interested in a career secondment to the field. It will be held in person over 5 days.