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Humanitarian Aid Online Courses

If you are looking to work in humanitarian aid, there a range of skills you need to develop in order to run projects that can assist people affected by conflicts, crises and disasters. We’ve compiled some our top recommendations here to help people looking to enter the sector better understand the kind of areas they should focus on.

These courses are also ideal for those already working in the aid sector who either want to move towards a front-line role or further their career within humanitarian aid.

International Humanitarian Law in Theory and Practice – Leiden University

Leiden University, in the Netherlands, offers an online course in international humanitarian law theory and practice. The aim of the course is to give students an introduction to the laws that govern armed violence. International humanitarian law aims to reduce the impact and suffering on those affected by conflicts. The Leiden University online course breaks down how International humanitarian Law is applied in different conflict scenarios.

The Leiden University International Humanitarian Law in Theory and Practice online course teaches students using real world case studies including the Syrian Civil War, the military conflict in Ukraine and the occupation of the West Bank by Israel. Students on the online course learn both the theory of international humanitarian law, as well as look at its practical implementation and limitations.

This online course takes around 19 hours to complete. It is aimed at beginners and no previous knowledge of international humanitarian law is needed. The course is in English but there are subtitles available in French, Portuguese, Russian, English, Spanish. Upon completion of the course, students receive a shareable certificate.

When Disaster Meets Conflict – Erasmus University Rotterdam

The Erasmus University Rotterdam offers a course on disaster risk reduction and humanitarian aid in conflict settings. Students on the courses learn the core techniques of disaster management. The course aims to provide them with the skills needed to create high quality, accountable and ethical responses to disasters in conflict contexts.

This course focuses mainly on the key skills needed to operate effective disaster responses in conflict settings. The Disaster Meets Conflict course by the Erasmus University Rotterdam explores the unique challenges disaster management professionals face in areas of armed violence. This course is aimed at beginners and limited previous knowledge of disaster response, humanitarian aid or conflict contexts is needed.

The Erasmus University Rotterdam online course When Disaster Meets Conflict takes around nine hours to complete. It can be completed at the student’s own pace. Upon completion of the course students receive a shareable certificate attesting their new qualification. The course is in English and has subtitles in French, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

The Logical Framework Approach

This online course provides students a broad overview of the Logical Framework Approach. The Log Frame is the main tool used to design humanitarian projects. It is vital for almost all humanitarian workers to understand the Logical Framework in order to support project design and input to funding proposals.

Students on this online course will go over the Log Frame, how it works and the steps that should be taken in creating one. The course aims to clarify what the Log Frame is and how it should be developed. It also gives student a step-by-step guide for how to write a Log Frame. This course also aims to show how the Logical Framework is key to designing, and running, successful humanitarian interventions.

The Logical Framework Approach online course is made up of six video lectures and takes around one hour to complete. Upon finishing of the course students receive an online certificate. It is aimed at humanitarian professionals and those wishing to enter the aid sector.

Project DPro: Project Management for Development Professionals

PMD Pro is the humanitarian and development sectors most recognisable project management certificate. This online course provides students with a broad overview of the PMD Pro methodology. This course aims for students to be able to better run humanitarian projects and to equip them with the basic tools they need.

This online course teaches students how to optimise their humanitarian projects so as to best deliver assistance to people in need. Students on the course learn the standardised project management system designed for the development sector. The course covers Project Cycle Management as well as project design and implementation. Students also learn key techniques in project stakeholder management.

The PMD Pro: Project Management for Development Professionals’ online course is offered by the Humanitarian Leadership Academy. It takes around seven hours to complete. Students self-direct learning and complete the course at their own pace. Students receive a certificate upon finishing the course.

Disaster Preparedness – University of Pittsburgh

The University of Pittsburgh offers an online course in disaster preparedness. The course is ideal for anyone with an interest in disaster management. It teaches students the core competencies needed for disaster preparedness and survival. It is especially ideal for individuals who would like to know how to protect themselves and others during a disaster.

This online course introduces students to the core methodologies of disaster preparedness. It includes sections on disaster management, including the disaster cycle and personal preparedness plans. The University of Pittsburgh disaster preparedness course covers events such as earthquakes, floods, landslides, hurricanes, tornados, fires, earthquakes, and tsunamis.

The online course in disaster preparedness from the University of Pittsburgh can be completed in around 13 hours. It has flexible deadlines and students can complete the course in their own time. Upon finishing the course, students receive an online certificate. The course is in English, and has subtitles in Arabic, French, Portuguese, Italian, Vietnamese, German, Russian, and Spanish.

Health in Complex Humanitarian Emergencies – Emory University

The Emory University online course in health in complex humanitarian emergencies was created by the Centre for Humanitarian Emergencies and the American CDC’s Emergency Response and Recovery Branch. The course give students an overview of the technical and managerial skills needed to run humanitarian health projects in complex responses. The course has a specific focus on primary health needs of refugees living in camp settings.

The Health in Complex Humanitarian Emergencies course ensures students have knowledge in assessing complex humanitarian disasters, calculating basic health interventions, evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of possible humanitarian health responses and mitigations for internal and external factors that may disrupt aid delivery in complex humanitarian emergencies.

The Emory University Health in Complex Humanitarian Emergencies online course is aimed at an intermediate level. Although it can be taken by those with limited knowledge of humanitarian health work, some basic understanding of the topic would be of assistance. The course takes around eight hours to complete. It is in English, with subtitles available in French, Portuguese, Russian, English, Spanish. Upon completion of the course, students receive a certificate.

Humanitarian Action, Response and Relief – Coventry University

The Humanitarian Action, Response and Relief online course offered by Coventry aims to introduce students to the principles of how humanitarian aid links to disaster management. Students gain knowledge of emergency preparedness and disaster management and how both save lives and reduce the impact of crises on people’s lives.

Students on the online course offered by Coventry University on humanitarian action, response and relief cover many key topics. These include the origins of humanitarianism and the Red Cross Movement, the Geneva Convention, ethics of humanitarian work, key concepts and terminology related to humanitarian and disaster management, and main the actors in the humanitarian sector.

This course is aimed as those working in humanitarian aid who wish to gain further knowledge of disaster management, as well as students and recent graduates of humanitarian studies. The Coventry University online course on humanitarian action, response and relief takes around two weeks complete with three-hours study time a week.