Mission Statement

The Geneva School of Diplomacy is an exclusive school specialized in the teaching of International Relations & Diplomacy. We are professional, and we conduct a humane and personal approach to our global community.

Our vision is to be among the top International Relations & Diplomatic Schools in the world, and to provide world-class professionals through a combined approach of academic and vocational excellence.

Our mission is to provide an excellent education to a small number of highly qualified students who are committed towards both the theoretical and practical underpinnings of International Relations and Diplomacy. Through rigorous education and practical experiences, we aim to empower individuals to become global leaders for their roles on the world stage to advance development, peace, and human rights.

We do this by offering high-quality and praxis-oriented Academic Degree Programmes from the Bachelor to the Doctorate level and Tailored Training courses, focused on theory and the development of essential diplomatic skills. Our curriculum includes a series of bi-weekly lectures on the topic of Emerging Issues & Persistent Challenges, where real-life cases and experiences are being discussed by people from the field. All programmes are taught in English by highly distinguished faculty members, including world-renowned professors, state-officials, current field experts- and practitioners and (serving) ambassadors.

Because of our connections with surrounding international organizations, missions and NGO’s, our small, interactive classes with highly distinguished faculty members and the many lectures hosted by high profile guest speakers, our students are able to create a network that can be life-lasting and life-changing. We know what the labor developments and needs in the diplomatic world are and adjust our curriculum regularly and accordingly. GSD graduates will possess academic, vocational and practical diplomatic skills needed to enter their professional field of preference.

GSD is founded in 2003 by President Dr. Colum de Sales Murphy. Dr. Murphy specializes in the study of the roots of war and conflict and has served the cause of peace for more than 32 years with the United Nations. His wartime experience and his contribution to peace negotiations in several wars inspired him to create a platform to prepare future world leaders for their roles on the world stage to advance peace and human rights. And so he founded the Geneva School of Diplomacy.

Based on its core values, GSD provides high quality and praxis-oriented education combined with a commitment to student support and promotes a philosophy rooted in the School’s motto: ‘serviendo guberno – that to govern is to serve’.

Our values set out the principles of how we work together. They are enduring and are defined as:

• Academic & Vocational Excellence
  • Diplomatic & International Relations knowledge, academic freedom, independence, creativity, innovation, and world-class performance;
• Integrity
  • Diplomatic community, responsible citizenship, and mutual respect by being open, honest and transparent. Offer diversity, equal opportunity, and access;
• Professionalism
  • Provision of effective and efficient customer-focused services in all aspects of our work (internally and externally). The act of collegiality & teamwork.

GSD strives to ensure that social and environment sustainability values are incorporated into our teachings and actions. In our hiring of staff and faculty members, as well as in our student’s admission processes, we make sure that gender and nationalities all are equally represented and constantly convey through all our communication channels our full commitment to these values.