Course Description: The Future of UN Peacekeeping
Course Code: UNAANSW106
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: UNAANSW010 – Introduction to UN Peace and Security
Target Audience
This course is designed for:
• Professionals interested in global affairs and international cooperation
• Corporate and organisational leaders seeking a better understanding of global governance
• Students studying international relations, politics, or global development
• Individuals with an interest in the United Nations and the changing nature of peace operations
• People working in sectors connected to conflict prevention, peacebuilding, humanitarian response or public policy
• Participants who have completed earlier peacekeeping courses and want to explore how peacekeeping is evolving
A basic understanding of UN Peacekeeping is assumed, and participants on this course should have attended the UN Training course “Introduction to UN Peace and Security”.
Course Overview
United Nations peacekeeping remains one of the UN’s most visible and distinctive tools for supporting fragile peace processes. However, the environment in which peacekeepers operate is changing rapidly. Conflicts are becoming more fragmented, political consensus is harder to achieve, and missions increasingly face new threats linked to emerging technologies, misinformation, and changing patterns of violence.
This session explores how peacekeeping may need to evolve in response to these challenges. It examines current debates about future mission models, the growing importance of political strategy and realistic mandates, the impact of drones and artificial intelligence, and the role of innovation in areas such as mine action and demining. The course also considers the importance of partnerships, local ownership and the continuing contribution of Member States, including Australia.
Participants will gain a clearer understanding of the pressures shaping the future of UN peacekeeping, and of the ways in which peace operations may need to adapt in order to remain relevant and effective.
Learning Goals
By the end of the session, participants will be able to:
• Identify the main pressures shaping the future of UN peacekeeping
• Explain how future missions may differ from traditional peacekeeping models
• Understand how technology is changing peace operations
• Discuss the role of drones, artificial intelligence, data and innovation in mission effectiveness
• Recognise the importance of partnerships, political strategy and realistic mandates in future peacekeeping
• Understand the contribution Member States can make to the evolution of peacekeeping, including through policy, training and specialist capability support.
Key Topics Covered
• Why the future of peacekeeping is now an urgent issue
• The changing conflict environment and its implications for UN peace operations
• Future mission models: smaller, more focused and more politically anchored missions
• The role of technology in peacekeeping, including drones and uncrewed systems
• Artificial intelligence, misinformation and disinformation in peacekeeping settings
• Mine action and demining as an example of operational adaptation and innovation
• Partnerships with regional organisations, UN agencies and Member States
• Lessons from decades of peacekeeping experience
• What the future of peacekeeping means for Member States, including Australia
Learning Outcomes
Participants will leave the session with:
• A stronger understanding of how UN peacekeeping is evolving in response to political, operational and technological change
• Greater awareness of the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of peace operations
• Insight into how innovation, partnerships and realistic mission design may influence the effectiveness of future peacekeeping missions