Mission

The UCIHL (University Centre for International Humanitarian Law), based in Geneva, was established by an agreement between the University of Geneva and the Graduate Institute of International Studies (HEI) in 2002. The University of Lausanne, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) also contribute to achieving the objectives of the centre.

The UCIHL has as its mission to:

• provide instruction, in both English and French, of a high academic standard
• conduct and promote academic research
• organise professional courses and expert meetings
• provide legal expertise to the local, national or international community

in the field of international humanitarian law as well as the other branches of international law relating to war situations and states of emergency in particular, international law relating to the use of force, international human rights law, international criminal law and the law relating to refugees and internally displaced persons.