The 2nd cycle Degree Course in “International Relations” aims at training specialists able to work both internationally and in Europe.
Graduates will be able to perform functions of high responsibility in public offices, including local ones, public and private companies, non-governmental and third sector organizations, humanitarian associations, political parties, trade unions, customs offices, as well as in the offices of the European Union and of international organisations. Therefore, the course educational objectives are defined in view of a more marked professionalization of its curricula.
The "International Trade" curriculum enables its graduates to fir in the working world as top-level consultants, capable of managing and mastering relationships and transactions, including commercial and community ones. The "International Studies" curriculum trains for a diplomatic and consular career. Furthermore, the creation of a path of excellence for both curricula aims at further professionalizing the training path since it will take place in collaboration with stakeholders who will commit themselves to welcoming a number of students (min. 4, max 6) within their own work structures for internship activities. This, together with the dissertation of the experimental thesis in English, closely linked to the activities carried out at companies and organizations, should make the degree course particularly attractive not only for Sicilian students, but also for foreign students from Europe and beyond.
The course enables its graduates to continue their university education by enrolling in second-level University master courses and PhD courses.
The specific educational objectives of the course with reference to the degree class are described below. It should be noted that the current formulation constitutes a further "adaptation" and "improvement" of the previous course according to the requests received from the social partners and from the world of work, taking into account the new ministerial indications and the indications of the Academic Senate of the University of Palermo.
LM- 52 – International relations
In the globalisation era, the 2nd cycle Degree Course in International Relations aims at preparing for international careers, in the national and regional diplomatic service as well as in international governmental and nongovernmental organisations; the course also prepares students for high responsibility positions in national and multinational private companies and organisations, political parties and in administrations, agencies, national and super-national organisations in the international context.
The course also prepares officers and managers of international co-operation bodies, political parties, evaluation and consultancy agencies, public and private companies, media companies.
Graduates should therefore be capable of applying their knowledge and understanding not only to issues related their specific field of study, but also to new and less familiar fields, and in interdisciplinary contexts. The advanced study of the two foreign languages they studied during the 1st year course is functional to the international character of the course, as well as the discussion of the final experimental dissertation, written in English and strictly related to the activities carried out in companies and agencies.
It should also be emphasized that the articulated curriculum (two curricula: “International Studies” and “International Trade” and the paths of excellence) aims at providing the opportunity to acquire specific knowledge useful to operate in the Euro-Mediterranean area, in emerging areas and in international contexts at large. In particular, the teachings more geared to the global reality also designed to train the officials of the countries of the Euro-Mediterranean and Asian area thanks to existing or under development inter-university agreements. In particular, the course will offer hospitality to students coming from Morocco, Tunisia , Egypt, Libya , as well as Cyprus , Malta, Turkey, and of course also to Italian students who want to improve their competences and be trained to operate even in those countries given the imminent process of economic integration and free trade with the area in question.
The basin of "users" and the possible labour market are therefore particularly large and rich in development possibilities.
The course also operates thanks to an agreement enabling the exchange of students and mutual recognition of some of the teachings with the People's Friendship University in Moscow. In addition, the course includes a collaboration and exchange of information and activities with the Universities of Taiwan, Japan (Nagoya University), Vietnam and South Korea.
It is worth mentioning in particular how such a "specialization" in addition to providing high level job opportunities, not limited to the local and national territory, can also be followed by all those who already have degrees under previous regulations or 2nd cycle degrees who wish to specialize in the European and international legal context . The "target" reference is also composed by professionals who want to deepen high-level knowledge of the European law and policies and therefore It is not limited to the region: the course in question also appears to be unique in Italy.