Structure and Course Format
Workshop sessions
The seven-month long programme consists of two in-person session and two online sessions that include several lectures and workshops linked to the RAUN theme of this year. The lectures and workshops are given by experts and practitioners in the respective field.
Apart from course-work, the sessions also include teamwork, networking and social activities that foster group dynamic, personal development and intercultural learning and understanding. The final session of the program takes place at the Vienna International Center, where the RAUN participants present the outcomes of their research projects.
Research projects
In addition to the four sessions, participants work on research projects in small teams of maximum 4 members in close collaboration with partnering UN Agencies and their sub-units. The research topics are defined by the Agencies and are based on their current interests and activities they perform as part of their mandate. The research topics are linked to the yearly theme of the Academy, which addresses an issue of global relevance. Each topic is supervised by one or two UN staff members who guide and support the student group in their research activities.
Before the start of the Academy, participants receive an overview of the available research topics and the partnering UN Agencies. They are invited to an online survey, in which they can indicate their interests in the different topics and provide some further background information about their work and academic experiences. Based on this information, we assign the participants a topic and team, who they will be working with in the following months. As part of the first RAUN session they will have a chance to meet for the first time with their team and their UN mentor(s), who will supervise their research project.
As a final outcome, participants will be required to submit a policy brief/paper of 12 to 15 pages based on desk research of the issues and discussions with experts from the UN and other organizations such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Ban Ki-Moon Centre for Global Citizens. Paper should include background information about the issue, ideas about the kind of future we want to create and common goals, an evaluation of the progress made towards achieving the goals (including milestones and challenges), and effective measures to support the process.
Deliverables and tasks
The Regional Academy is an extra-curricular programme, which can be attended aside of the regular university courses. Nevertheless, if you are interested in participating, you should be aware that the Academy requires a time investment of about 4-5 hours a week, which can be more in intense working periods. In particular, you are required to have time to (i) visit all four workshop sessions of the Academy, (ii) actively contribute to the research project of your team, and to (iii) regularly communicate with your mentors, academic advisors, and of course the other members of your research group.
Throughout the seven-months-long program, you will be given regular assignments and are required to produce deliverables, so called milestone reports. Those deliverables are not meant to be an additional burden, but are closely linked to the research activities of the participant groups. They should serve as a guidance helping you to structure your work and to effectively collaborate with your team members. They also help your counsels and mentors to keep track of your activities. In addition to the usually two-page-long milestone reports, the groups should regularly submit drafts of their progresses for their final research paper.