The peace and conflict studies discipline at The University of Queensland is expanding with the recruitment of two new full-time peace and conflict studies academic appointments in the past 12 months.
“We currently have eight full-time academic staff working in the area of peace and conflict studies with a new lecturer appointment about to be filled," the Head of the UQ School of Political Science and International Studies, Professor Gillian Whitehouse said.
"We also have four post-doctoral researchers working on peace and conflict related projects.
“UQ’s strengths in peace and conflict research and teaching are very much alive and well with a focus on international reach and global vision.”
Professor Whitehouse said that peace and conflict studies at The University of Queensland was a robust and vibrant discipline with strong student interest and internationally recognised research outputs.
"The School of Political Science and International Studies is the largest of its kind in Australia and has received a number of national awards for teaching excellence," she said.
"Its research was ranked highly in the Australian Research Council’s Excellence in Research for Australia assessment early this year."
As testament to UQ’s strong teaching and research focus on peace and conflict studies, the School has hosted the prestigious Rotary Centre for International Studies in peace and conflict resolution for over 10 years.
It is one of six centres worldwide providing masters degrees in peace studies to Peace Fellows from all over the world. UQ’s teaching program has been judged by Rotary International as one of the best.
In addition to courses on the causes of war, human rights, peacekeeping, ethnic conflict and nationalism, the School’s peace and conflict studies programs also offer plenty of hands-on experience in terms of conflict prevention, mediation and conflict resolution skills.
Students may also undertake a Graduate Certificate in Mediation and Conflict Resolution which provides entrants with specialised conflict resolution training and entry into the popular Master of International Studies.
Peace and conflict studies attracts domestic and international students who are the peacebuilders of the future.
The school has a growing international student cohort, many who are from conflict-affected countries.
Professor Gillian Whitehouse said these graduates would be the leaders of peace in their home countries which in many cases had experienced generations of conflict.
“Their achievements after graduation from UQ are making a real difference in fields as diverse as human rights protection, post-conflict state building and conflict mediation,” Professor Whitehouse said.
Students were able to interact with world-class researchers working on peace and conflict studies.
A leading research centre housed in the school is the joint UQ and AusAid-funded Asia Pacific Centre for the Responsibility to Protect.
Conflict prevention is a central component of the centre’s activities with researchers working on major funded projects in the area of peace and conflict studies.
Projects included maintaining peaceful communities around deep divisions in places such as Timor-Leste and Bougainville, a collaboration with staff from the Politics Department at University of Timor-Leste to produce texts that reflect the local situation, and a study of sources of legitimacy in Bougainville, Timor-Leste, and Somalia.
The school and centre are also leading a professional training course on diplomacy and conflict resolution in Africa, and to diplomats from several countries. This program is funded by AusAID.
Media: For further information contact Professor Gillian Whitehouse on 07 3365 2858 or g.whitehouse@uq.edu.au
