Effective Advising in Complex Contexts: Enabling sustainable peace
ABOUT THE COURSE
The peacebuilding, development, and humanitarian sectors are facing a rapidly changing landscape. Violent conflict, protracted crises, and multidimensional fragility lie at the core of these geopolitical shifts. Deep reflection and quick adaptation to new ways of thinking and working are necessary. A key element is the need to rethink and reshape relationships between ‘insiders’ and ‘outsiders’, as well as between international, national, regional and local stakeholders. This professional development program sits at the heart of these trends and debates.
The objective of Interpeace’s Effective Advising Course is to equip experts and advisors with tools and approaches that will help them work effectively in complex and unpredictable environments. Designed to treat “advising” as a professional skillset that can be honed and finetuned, the course focuses on the personal and relational dimensions of advising to reinforce participants’ ability to identify and foster opportunities for change.
The global edition of this professional development course consists in a five-day workshop complemented by three live online sessions (pre- and post-course) and supplemented by background reading and individual preparation.
A team of three experienced facilitators guide ~20 participants from around the world to take a step back from their day-to-day work environments. The course guides participants to reflect on their individual roles, their effectiveness as advisors, and to analyse their own perception of how change happens within shifting power dynamics.
Interpeace’s interactive and practice-oriented methodology provides a space for professionals to reflect on their personal professional practice and behaviours, take a fresh look at advisory challenges and tackle these more consciously and creatively using practical frameworks.
Note: This is not a course focused on peacebuilding theory or programming. This is a course for advisors seeking structured training to advance their professional approaches and individual behaviours working in polarised and peacebuilding contexts.
KEY INFORMATION
Course dates: 12-17 October 2025 (& 3 online sessions on Tue 23 Sep, Tue 7 Oct and Tue 18 Nov – all from 14:30 to 16:30 CET)
Deadline for applications: Sunday 4 May 2025
Application results will be communicated by mid-June 2025.
WHY A FOCUS ON ADVISING?
Effective advising is about the capacity of advisers to position themselves appropriately and consciously in their professional setting, relate to the people they work with, and deliberately choose their ways of working and engaging. The course accounts for the various roles advisers play, including management and formal and informal leadership roles.
At Interpeace, we believe that many of the limitations we see in international assistance particularly in conflict-affected settings can be addressed through a peace-responsive approach. Peace cannot be built and sustained by “peacebuilders” alone. It requires all those working for peaceful and resilient societies to seriously commit to operationalising conflict sensitivity and contributing to peace outcomes through their sectoral programming. Peace responsive organizations act in ways that enhance collective impact, support inclusive and locally led change, and strengthen society’s resilience in the face of conflict and violence.
The Effective Advising Course is based on the belief that improvements to individual advisory capacities will strengthen all other levels of our work: generating more effective programmes, organizations, and systems of international assistance. In their individual capacities, advisers play a key role in overcoming organizational, programmatic, or system-wide barriers.
The role of advisers is especially extensive and complex in settings affected by conflict. Advisers are often key influencers: they promote change from within, play insider-outsider roles, make connections, build key relationships, and contribute fresh perspectives. Often playing the role of “backstage” changemakers, advisors can increase impact, promote sustainability and inspire transformation.
Interpeace recognises that the multifaceted challenges faced by the development, humanitarian, and peacebuilding sectors can at times feel overwhelming. As individuals, we simply cannot “fix” all these issues. However, we can reflect on the complex dynamics at play and listen to those around us to carefully identify leverage points for change that are manageable and lead to positive outcomes that support the flourishing of more peaceful societies.
IS THE COURSE RIGHT FOR YOU?
This course focuses on skills and practices applicable across the humanitarian, development, peacebuilding, human rights and stabilisation fields.
We welcome participants from non-governmental organisations, governments, international, national and local organisations, military, research centres and independent experts. Participants advise on a range of domains: technical matters, social change strategies and programmes, policy issues and organizational change processes. Participants work in or on countries wrestling with dynamics of conflict and violence, complex social change, and polarisation.
We welcome mid-level to senior level advisors with a range of different backgrounds. One of the course’s success factors is a dynamic mix of participants which creates a unique environment conducive to learning with and from fellow advisors.
Participants are selected following a rigorous selection process to ensure a diverse mix of participants from different backgrounds, enriching the learning environment and peer-to-peer exchanges.
Find a list of our selection criteria in the course brochure.
THE COURSE METHODOLOGY
The three facilitators – Anita Ernstorfer, Nora Refaeil and Jan Ubels – provide frameworks which advisors can apply to clarify and more consciously address the situations, assignments and multifaceted challenges they are facing.
The training team applies a lively mix of working formats to support learning. All participants will gain access to an online library of resources and relevant literature, videos, podcasts on the topics addressed.
The course is geared towards adult learning with the creation of an environment encouraging exchange and listening between professional peers. Together, the team fosters conversation, indicates linkages between topics, and facilitates a dynamic learning process and a constructive group atmosphere. A safe space supports the sharing of the often complex and sensitive challenges participants face.
The course invites participants to undertake a deep and honest self-reflection. Participants learn this is just as much about dealing with themselves as it is about dealing with the challenging situations and issues they work with.
Practical examples are used to highlight the application of methodologies discussed. Participants should be ready to prepare, share and discuss issues and scenarios from their own professional experience with the group.
WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?
By the time you finish the course, you will be better equipped to:
- Identify a variety of advisory roles and consciously navigate them, adapted to task and context.
- Embrace complexity and ambiguity in advisory settings.
- Understand conditions for systems change and how to facilitate and accompany day-to-day change processes at different levels and with different objectives.
- Develop awareness of your personal agency and critical interpersonal skills that are central to fostering constructive relationships as an effective and trusted adviser.
- Grasp the importance of how individual behaviours and practices are essential for greater organisational effectiveness which contribute to sustaining peace in conflict-affected contexts.
- Recognise and overcome resistance to change and learn how to remain adaptive in complex settings.
- Be more aware of your own behavioural patterns and manage your well-being, energy and creativity.
HOW TO APPLY
There are approximately 20 places on the course. Interested individuals are requested to apply using the application form.
The deadline for applications is Sunday 4 May 2025. Applicants must send a completed application form and their CV to effectiveadvising@interpeace.org. The subject line of your application email must be: “Application Online Global EAC 2025”.
Please note: incomplete or late applications will not be considered.
The delivery of the 2025 course is made possible thanks to the support of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and Interpeace.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Cost: There is no course fee. Interpeace’s Effective Advising in Complex Contexts Course is sponsored by the Government of Switzerland and Interpeace. The only costs which need to be covered by participants are related to international and domestic travel to the workshop location, visa costs for Switzerland and health insurance (for your stay in Switzerland). Interpeace will provide more detailed logistical guidance to those who will be accepted to the course.
Language: The course is in English. Participants should be fluent in English.
Technology requirements: To participate in the online sessions before and after the course, you will need access to a laptop/computer, a functioning headset, a webcam, a stable internet connection and access to Zoom.
More detailed practical information is available on the application form.
For more information please contact: effectiveadvising@interpeace.org.
The Effective Advising in Complex Contexts course has been run by Interpeace since 2013. Interpeace is grateful for the ongoing partnership with and funding by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and for past funding from Global Affairs Canada.
