PSRD

The Peace and Security Research Department (PSRD) is one of the three platforms of IPSTC. The core responsibilities of the department are:

• Applied Research across the entire spectrum of conflict
• Curriculum Design and Development
• Simulation and Evaluation

PSRD works in close coordination with Peace and Conflict Studies School (PCSS) & Humanitarian Peace Support School (HPSS).

To produce Cutting Edge Knowledge on Emerging Peace and Security issues in Eastern Africa

Curriculum Design section is responsible for the design, development and review of the IPSTC courses conducted at PCSS & HPSS. Thse courses are prepared within the IPSTC training and education framework which focuses on peace support operations and the African peace and security architecture, specifically addressing the needs of the Eastern African Region.

The key facility premised here is the computer laboratory. The Simulation and Training Evaluation section conducts the following key activities within the research Department:

• Gather Daily Course Evaluations. Course evaluations are the student's primary means of feedback on the quality of courses. Telling what they think and how IPSTC might improve. Course evaluations are used by the instructors to improve courses for future students, to make them more relevant, and to improve the effectiveness as instructors. Curriculum design and training staff are reviewing the results, looking for ways to improve the individual courses but also the program offered by IPSTC. The overall evaluation questions are the same for all courses across the schools, hence feedback results allow comparison between courses at HPSS Embakasi and PCSS Karen.

• Collect After 3 Months Surveys. The purpose is to collect information about the quality and the impact of the courses, advice the designers of future courses and the sponsor and count number of participants deployed to an AU/UN or another mission.

• Provide E-Learning. IPSTC maintains an “E-Learning” link to Peace Operations Training Institute POTI www.peaceopstraining.org from where more than 1,200 IPSTC students enrol in the full curriculum of 29 various online trainings. Students are engaged in active self-study and are expected to benefit from: Self-study courses in accordance with UN standards (for military, police and civilian); Access to the learning platform globally and at any time; Comprehending the theory and politics of conflict, war, mediation and negotiation and Evaluating the potential for conflict in a country or region and analysing the complexity and limitations across cultures and diverse groups.