“The Mid-Career Course became one of my turning points in developing my career because it allowed me to learn insights and tools I wasn’t aware of before. I commit myself to applying what I learned to my daily work. I sincerely appreciate the organizers and all the experienced participants who made this course meaningful.”
January 2025 Mid-Career Course Participant
The Mid-Career Course is a professional development course, designed to help mid-level professionals working in peacebuilding and international development to take stock of where they are in their careers and develop strategies for achieving their career goals. All participants must have at least seven years of practical experience in fields related to peacebuilding and international development. The course is designed to leverage participants’ experience and knowledge to further build their careers and learn the skills necessary for managerial positions.
Applications for the FY2025 Mid-Career Course are open from July 22 to September 1, 2025!
We welcome applicants from a variety of countries with diverse backgrounds, including international organizations, the public and private sectors, as well as NGOs/NPOs. In order to apply, you must have:
- At least seven years of professional experience in peacebuilding and/or international development.
- Fluency in spoken and written English.
- A strong interest in building a career in peacebuilding and development, in particular at the UN and other international organizations.
- Commitment to actively and fully participate in the Course (you must be able to attend all days of the Course).
Course Dates
In-person workshop from January 7, 2026 (Wednesday) to January 13, 2026 (Tuesday). There will also be one pre-training online session in December 2025 (date to be confirmed later).
Application Deadline
Monday, September 1, 2025 (5:00 PM Japan Time)
Highlights from the 2024 (Reiwa 6) Mid-Career Training Course
The Mid-Career Course was held from January 6 to 12, 2025, at Hiroshima University’s Higashi-Hiroshima Campus (partly in Hiroshima City). Trainees came from Japan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, Kenya, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Korea, Ukraine, and the United States. They had a diverse range professional backgrounds, including UNICEF, FAO, UNFPA, multilateral development banks, NGOs, government agencies, and the private sector.
Ms. Mami Mizutori (former Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and Head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction) and Mr. Guillaume Foliot (Senior Advisor at the UN System Staff College) led a total of eight lecturers from the UN, ICRC, and Hiroshima University in conducting the training.
The course focused on themes such as “self-assessment,” “communication,” “team management and teamwork,” “mock interviews,” and “leadership”. The training also featured lectures from international experts, who shared the latest trends in major issues such as climate change and disaster risk reduction, armed conflict and humanitarian needs, economic development, and strategic foresight (UN 2.0). The participants themselves brought a wealth of experience to the training, which enabled them to share a broad range of perspectives and also teach each other and the facilitators throughout.