Course list

In a global landscape fraught with complex threats, the field of international relations (IR) theory is crucial for policy professionals, who lean on its principles to frame their views of international security, stability, and risks to nation-states.

This course offers a vital introduction to realism, liberalism, and nontraditional approaches, helping you differentiate their tenets to inform strategy for real-world scenarios. You will begin by examining the past to grasp the historical context of IR theory, then you will navigate current trends by applying these lenses to contemporary global challenges such as war, the climate crisis, and terrorism. This knowledge will empower you to make informed decisions and develop strategic responses to the dynamic challenges of country risk analysis.

  • Apr 23, 2025
  • Jul 16, 2025
  • Oct 8, 2025
  • Dec 31, 2025

The complexities of international challenges, such as climate change, war, terrorism, great power politics, and disruptive technologies, can pose significant risks to nation-states. Understanding how these issues might impact a country's stability and security is critical for policymakers when making policy decisions.

In this course, you will examine case studies to analyze the interplay between environmental crises and geopolitical tensions, investigate the dynamics of great-power politics, and inspect the implications of emerging technologies. You will discover how to assess developing situations as well as how to source and verify information to understand the risks involved for an individual nation-state. You will explore the process of creating effective policy briefs, from comparing their use cases and limitations to identifying their structure and key components.

By engaging with these topics, you will develop the skills to identify pressing policy challenges, conduct thorough research, and create impactful policy briefs that guide policymakers in addressing these global issues.

  • May 7, 2025
  • Jul 30, 2025
  • Oct 22, 2025

In an interconnected world, risks to nation-states transcend domestic borders. Navigating the dynamics of global stability requires a probe into the political, economic, social, and external dimensions that can disrupt and destabilize. In this course, you will assess these factors critically, examining how international influences can impact a country's stability.

Through case studies of Yemen and Somalia, you will explore how past events shape current risks. This historical perspective will enhance your ability to accurately evaluate and synthesize current trends. You will also navigate the essential considerations and decisions involved in the development of a comprehensive country risk report, tailored to meet the needs of your specific audience. After observing the steps of this process, you will gain hands-on experience in independently researching, preparing risk assessments, and crafting detailed reports that inform strategic action.

  • May 21, 2025
  • Aug 13, 2025
  • Nov 5, 2025

Strategic foresight analysis can be a powerful tool in navigating future uncertainties. In this course, you will develop the skills to identify pressing policy challenges, conduct thorough research, and create impactful strategic foresight analyses to guide decision makers in addressing global issues.

Utilizing a case study as part of your coursework, you will define topics of interest by conducting a horizon scan for trends and expanding your perspective. Building on this foundation, you will perform a megatrends analysis to explore and review large-scale changes over time, identifying critical megatrends that impact countries then linking these trends to various environmental, political, and economic sectors. Finally, you will forecast the future by developing multiple scenarios and using backcasting to create a series of milestones and a roadmap that decision makers can follow to ensure their desired future state.

  • Jun 4, 2025
  • Aug 27, 2025
  • Nov 19, 2025

How It Works

I have always been passionate to voice the voice of the unheard and provide an opportunity to bring everyone to the table. This certificate gave me the experience, tools and skills to do so... It was exactly what I needed.
‐ Josiah E.
Josiah E.

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