Integration of Work-based Learning in Peace, Conflict and Security Studies (INCOPS)

The integration of practical experiences into university curricula has become a standard across various disciplines and study programs. However, there is often still a gap between theory and the training of analytical skills on the one hand and practical experiences, which students gain at workplaces and during internships, on the other hand. Peace, Conflict and Security Studies (PCS) are no exception in this regard, even though scholars and employers have stressed the necessity for a closer integration of theory and practice. This is of particular importance for programs that aim to qualify for a career in the field of peacebuilding, foreign and security policy, or conflict resolution.

The project “Integration of Work-based Learning in Conflict, Peace and Security Studies” (INCOPS) will develop a more comprehensive and systematic approach to overcome existing limitations. It will develop and apply a tailored concept of the Work-based Learning (WBL) approach to systematically integrate theory and practice in university teaching and curriculum development with a particular focus on the role of internships and voluntary work.