Non-proliferation, arms control and disarmament

Since the middle of the last century, numerous agreements have been made among states to regulate, reduce or eliminate various categories of weapons, both conventional weapons and weapons of mass destruction (nuclear, chemical, bacteriological). Increasingly sophisticated monitoring and verification mechanisms have been created to ensure compliance with these agreements. Today, arms control remains one of the pillars of international peacekeeping and security cooperation, and it is an integral part of the mandate of global institutions, such as the United Nations, and regional ones, such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The European Union (EU) has its own disarmament and arms control strategy, which is periodically updated.

However, the war in Ukraine has exposed the inadequacy and fragility of the arms control system, forcefully bringing the nuclear threat into the heart of Europe back to the forefront.

The course on "Nonproliferation, Arms Control, and Disarmament" provides a political, legal, and historical perspective on the regulatory framework, strategies, and techniques for arms control, disarmament, and nonproliferation; it also offers an opportunity to sharpen skills of analysis, presentation, and argumentation in negotiating and debating contexts on international security issues. To this end, a simulation of international negotiations, such as those that take place in international treaty review conferences or to address nuclear proliferation risks will be organized during the course.

The Training Course in "Nonproliferation, Arms Control and Disarmament" is part of the Advanced Certificate in "International Crisis Management," an in-depth and detailed course on methodologies and practices of intervention in crisis and conflict contexts.

The intensive course will take place in the afternoon session over five days (Feb. 14, 15, 16, 21, and 22, 2023) and will be held in Italian, with some lectures in English. Simulation activities, on the other hand, will be conducted entirely in Italian.

The program is structured according to a hybrid teaching approach, alternating seminar moments with exercises aimed at analyzing the main trends and negotiating positions of the countries involved in the diplomatic process on disarmament and non-proliferation. Participants will be able to choose between attending the course online or in-person. Specifically, the course will also be activated in-person if a minimum number of eight participants is reached. If this minimum number is not reached, the course will be held entirely online.

The faculty is composed of experts, researchers from the Istituto Affari Internazionali with subject matter expertise and representatives of public and private institutions.

At the end of the course, a certificate of attendance will be awarded to those who have actively attended at least 80 percent of the lecture and taken the final test.

The program is designed to provide an in-depth study of nonproliferation, arms control and disarmament for those with a background in social sciences (Political Science, International Relations, Law and History) or have a background in natural sciences and technology (Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Engineering) with a specific interest in the dynamics of international security.

The course is limited in number, with a maximum number of 30 participants. The Institute reserves the right to postpone the course if the minimum number of participants to start the course is not reached.

To participate in the course, it is necessary to fill in the online registration form by attaching their cv and following the instructions on the Institute's portal.

The registration fee is € 640 (vat included).
For IAI Junior Members and Lazio Youth Card holders there is a 10% discount. For Ministry of Defense Employees or by submitting an "Early Application" to the courses that make up the Advanced Certificates of the I and II Semesters, there is the possibility of a 15% discount on the total fee, against immediate enrolment to be paid in a single payment.

Thanks to the contribution of the Compagnia di San Paolo Foundation, three scholarships based on income and merit are also available to fully cover the registration fee. Please refer to the regulations for all details regarding the application and disbursement of the scholarships. To apply for the scholarship, candidates must fill out the online form at this link.

Participating in Istituto Affari Internazionali's courses also means getting in touch with experts and researchers of international policy issues and having the chance to be involved in the Institute's future activities dedicated to younger people.

Info and contacts: edu(at)iai.it