Managing Humanitarian Emergencies

According to the 2025 Global Humanitarian Overview, humanitarian partners are seeking over $47 billion to assist nearly 190 million people facing life-threatening and urgent needs across 72 countries. These alarming figures are driven by various factors, including conflicts, political instability, climate change, disease outbreaks, poverty, and natural disasters. Additionally, a rise in nationalism is impacting multilateral cooperation, which is essential for the effective functioning of the humanitarian system. Together, these issues have exacerbated pre-existing vulnerabilities, leading to unprecedented levels of need. 

Relief work is crucial; it saves lives and, when executed effectively, can protect livelihoods, alleviate human suffering, and help communities rebuild. The adaptability and flexibility of humanitarian organizations and workers have demonstrated their capacity to adjust to new realities. The current obstacles also present opportunities for humanitarian actors to strive for a long-term goal: the decentralization and localization of the humanitarian system.

This course focuses on the management of humanitarian operations, offering students the opportunity to explore the strategic and day-to-day work of humanitarian organizations, including various UN agencies, as well as international and local organizations. It aims to help students develop an analytical framework that can be applied in both headquarters and field settings, along with a tools to evaluate populations' needs, write successful grants, and monitor the impact of humanitarian assistance. This practical course will appeal to those interested in working with an aid agency, whether directly with disaster-affected populations or indirectly, as well as to those who seek to gain a deeper understanding of the humanitarian system and the opportunities and challenges it presents.