Negotiating with Difficult Actors: International Negotiation, Mediation and Diplomacy, Two day Intensive Training Workshop.
Applications: For details on how to apply, please email Assistant Organiser Devika Manish Kumar devika.manishkumar@sant.ox.ac.uk Places will be limited, and the current deadline for applications is 28 February 2025. Early applications are encouraged!
OxPeace (Oxford Network of Peace Studies) invites you to an intensive two-day (20 and 21 March, 09.30 to 17.30 each day) training workshop in international negotiation, mediation, and diplomacy, covering core concepts, lessons learned from the field and hands-on exercises. This year’s course will in particular focus on how to mediate conflict and negotiate with difficult actors, who resist agreements for mutual gain and disregard established international norms and principles.
Learning goals:
Participants will explore evidence-based conflict mediation and negotiation tools and apply them in a wide range of practical exercises. They will learn about best practices from real life international negotiation and peace mediation cases and will discuss the benefits and challenges of using these concepts when dealing with difficult actors.
Day 1: Participants gain an overview of the practice — and theory — of peace and conflict negotiation and mediation. They will develop an understanding of the core concepts of distributive and integrative negotiations and will explore the particularities of international political negotiations, including intercultural aspects and value conflicts. The concept and practice of peace and conflict mediation will be discussed and lessons learned from real-life peace mediation cases will be presented. Several role-plays help participants fine-tune key techniques for reaching agreements that work in the real world.
Day 2: Participants build on their learnings from day one and apply the concepts to engaging with difficult actors, who resist agreements for mutual gain and disregard established international norms and principles. Interactive discussions and exercises will support participants to anchor and apply these concepts further.
Trainers:
Martin Albani is the Head of the Peace Mediation and Dialogue Sector in the Foreign Service of the European Union (European External Action Service). He has more than 15 years’ experience in foreign affairs, crisis response and peacebuilding. In addition to his diplomatic career, he regularly lectures and holds workshops on peacebuilding and international relations at different universities and for international organisations.
Dr Valentin Ade teaches negotiation at the University of St. Gallen, for the UN, and for a wide range of businesses, government organisations, and civil society actors. He is founder of The Negotiation Studio (www.negotiationstudio.com).
Date:
20 March 2025, 9:30 (Thursday, 9th week, Hilary 2025)
Venue:
St John's College, St Giles OX1 3JP
Venue Details:
tbc
Speakers:
Martin Albani (European External Action Service),
Valentin Ade (The Negotiation Studio)
Organising department:
Department of Politics and International Relations (DPIR)
Organisers:
Dr Harry Bregazzi (Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford),
Devika Manish Kumar (St Antony's College, University of Oxford),
Revd Dr Liz Carmichael, St John’s College (University of Oxford)
Organiser contact email address:
devika.manishkumar@sant.ox.ac.uk
Host:
OxPeace (University of Oxford)
Part of:
OxPeace Events
Booking required?:
Required
Booking email:
Devika.manishkumar@sant.ox.ac.uk
Cost:
Students £50, academic staff £100, practitioners in peacemaking and peacebuilding £350
Audience:
Public
Editor:
Liz Carmichael
