Managing Humanitarian Emergencies

This course focuses on the management of humanitarian operations and intends to provide students with the opportunity to explore critical issues in the humanitarian system. It helps students understand debates in the humanitarian system; develop a framework of analysis that they can use in headquarters and the field; and acquire a toolkit to help them succeed as aid workers. This is a practical course that will be of interest to those wishing to work with an aid agency, directly or indirectly with disaster-affected populations, or those who simply want to better understand the system and the opportunities and challenges that humanitarians face. Upon completing this course, students will have an understanding of: 1. The breadth of program and management issues in humanitarian responses, including the humanitarian principles; the program cycle; the emergency spectrum (preparedness, response, recovery); fundraising; scaling up; human resources, logistics, financial management, security management, etc.; 2. How to manage operational decision-making processes in complex environments; 3. Working within the international aid system (coordinating with other actors, participation in consolidated mechanisms, etc.); 4. Emerging issues that affect humanitarian operations and agency responses to them.