HPC Training Course on Conflict and Political Affairs Analysis; Integrating Practical, Academic, and AI-Assisted Approaches

HPC Training Course on Conflict and Political Affairs Analysis; Integrating Practical, Academic, and AI-Assisted Approaches

This training course is designed for current and aspiring international professionals who are expected to conduct conflict and political affairs analysis in complex and rapidly changing environments. The programme combines methodological training in Part I with case-based analysis in Part II, enabling participants to learn analytical frameworks and apply them to major contemporary conflicts and politically sensitive situations. Particular attention is given to the practical analytical skills required in the United Nations and other organizations operating in conflict-affected settings.

1. Objectives
2. The course aims to equip participants with the practical knowledge and analytical tools needed to understand political affairs and contemporary armed conflicts. It is particularly suitable for those seeking positions in international organizations such as the United Nations, especially as political affairs officers, and for practitioners working in conflict-affected or politically sensitive environments.
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2. Training Overview

• Duration: Part I: Two days (4.5 hours per day; 9 hours in total)
• Part II: Two days (4.5 hours per day; 9 hours in total)

• Format: Interactive lectures and discussions
• Mode: In-person or online
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3. Facilitator: Professor Hideaki Shinoda, Director, Hiroshima Peacebuilders Center (HPC), and Professor, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies
4. Hideaki Shinoda is Professor at the Graduate School of Global Studies, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, and Director of the Hiroshima Peacebuilders Center (HPC). He received his Ph.D. in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). His professional experience includes refugee relief activities in Iran, Djibouti and Thailand, and service with the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) as an International Polling Station Officer. He previously worked at Hiroshima University and has been a visiting scholar at the Lauterpacht Research Centre for International Law, University of Cambridge, and the Center for the Study of Human Rights, Columbia University, as well as a Visiting Professional at the International Criminal Court (ICC). From JFY2007 to JFY2023, he directed HPC’s implementation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan’s Programme for Human Resource Development for Peacebuilding. His research focuses on international peacebuilding, conflict resolution, international security and geopolitics. His recent publications include Partnership Peace Operations (Routledge, 2024), Confronting Theories of Geopolitics (Springer, 2026), and the edited volume The Impacts of the Russo-Ukrainian War (Springer, 2025).
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4. Dates
5. Part I: 17 October (Sat.) and 18 October (Sun.), 2026 (4.5 hours per day)
6. Part II: 7 November (Sat.) and 8 November (Sun.), 2026 (4.5 hours per day)
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5. Venue
6. Venue: Fuchu area, Tokyo (in-person sessions)
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6. Participation Fees
7. Full programme: JPY 40,000 (in person) or JPY 30,000 (online)
8. Either Part I or Part II only: JPY 20,000 (in person) or JPY 15,000 (online)
9. (Video recordings of all sessions will be available to all participants.)
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7. Application
8. Please email your CV (in any format) to:
9. hpcapplication@peacebuilders.jp
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11.  Schedule

9. Reading Materials

Reading materials, including academic articles and UN documents, will be distributed electronically to participants.

10. AI Platform

The facilitator may demonstrate practical uses of ChatGPT and other AI tools. Participants are welcome to bring devices with access to the AI platforms they use.