New master's program for peace education starts in Stadtschlaining!

New master's program for peace education starts in Stadtschlaining!

The Burgenland Private University of Education has launched a new, groundbreaking master's course in “Peace and Life Skills Pedagogy”, which has been expanded from the original 25 to 30 study places due to high demand. The course, which was developed in cooperation with the Austrian Peace Institute, is primarily aimed at teachers from all types of schools and social workers. It offers a unique opportunity for anyone who has completed a bachelor's degree and aims to promote skills that enable participants to build peace and resolve conflicts constructively. According to Klaus Novak from PPH Burgenland, the students will be taught how to by renowned professors from all over the world as well as experts who work in peace and conflict management MyDistrict reported.

The course was ceremoniously opened on Friday in the historic Friedensburg Schlaining, which was also attended by State Councilor Leonhard Schneemann. This city has a long tradition of peace education and was once home to the European Peace University. The new master's course is intended not only to impart academic knowledge, but also to offer practical approaches to resolving conflicts. “Peace is not just the absence of war, but the result of targeted education and social efforts,” said Schneemann. Many of the 30 students come from Austria and Hungary, and the great interest shows that society has developed a strong awareness of the importance of peace skills.

Important focal points and future developments

Ursula Gamauf-Eberhardt, program manager at the ACP, emphasized the relevance of the course in the face of global challenges and social upheavals that threaten peace. The course covers topics such as causes of conflict, violence prevention and peace education and aims to strengthen participants in their role as peace promoters. “There is a lot of interest, which shows that there is a need,” she added. In addition to the new course, existing programs such as the “Peace Weeks” and the “Holocaust History Project” will also be continued to ensure comprehensive education in the field of peace education ORF Burgenland reported.

Another significant change is imminent with the appointment of Tobias Lang as the new head of the Austrian Peace Center. Lang, an experienced Middle East expert, plans to establish the ACP as an international hub for practical peace research. Under his leadership, the Austria Forum for Peace 2025, which will take place from June 30 to July 3, is expected to gain international relevance. The developments in Stadtschlaining show that education and commitment to peace are crucial in order to address future conflicts during training.