Leading human rights educators from Europe, Asia-Pacific, Central Asia, and Latin America recently engaged directly with students and faculty throughout the network through the Global Campus Exchange of Lecturers, a flagship programme created to promote academic cooperation among its regional hubs. These exchanges enhanced curricula and gave our future human rights professionals engaging, cross-cultural learning opportunities through lectures, hands-on learning, and student-led activities.
Environmental Rights in Sarajevo
The Global Campus Southeast Europe (ERMA) hosted Professor Elina Pirjatanniemi, Director of the Institute for Human Rights at Åbo Akademi University (Finland) and First Vice-President of the Global Campus, at the University of Sarajevo. Her lecture explored environmental rights as emerging norms in international law. Focusing on the right to a clean and sustainable environment, Professor Pirjatanniemi highlighted the legal intersections between climate action and human rights enforcement.
Buenos Aires Welcomes ‘Transitology’
In Buenos Aires, the Master’s Programme on Human Rights and Democratisation in Latin American & Caribbean (LATMA) welcomed Dr. Anja Mihr, Director of the Central Asian Master’s Programme in Human Rights and Sustainability (MAHRS), for a lecture on “Democracy and Transition.” A prominent researcher in political transitions, Professor Mihr offered students a comparative perspective on democratic development, drawing lessons from across Central Asia and Europe.
Bishkek focuses on Applied Pedagogy in Practice
Dr. Inge Zwart, visiting from the Global Campus Europe, conducted the interactive “Applied Teaching Methods” course in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, for students of the GC Central Asia Master’s programme. The 2 ECTS course was designed to equip students with the instructional tools and pedagogical strategies necessary for teaching human rights and sustainability.
“I firmly believe that Human Rights Knowledge is incomplete without the ability to effectively deliver it to others- a skill that is essential for us in the future as experts in this field. This gap was particularly addressed in the “Applied Teaching Methods” class with Dr. Inge Zwart […] This experiential learning approach not only deepened our understanding but also equipped us with the confidence and tools necessary to effectively communicate and teach human rights and sustainable developments practice” – Obaidullah Tariq, MAHRS 2024-2026 student from Afghanistan.
With an emphasis on experiential learning, student-led facilitation exercises covered challenging topics such as xenophobia, gender-sensitive policing, and the right to abortion.
Elevating Research Standards in Bishkek
Also in Bishkek, Dr. Mike Hayes from Mahidol University (GC Asia-Pacific) delivered a week-long module on Mixed Methods Research. His course focused on integrating qualitative and quantitative research tools in human rights studies, and was praised by students for its clarity, rigor, and hands-on design.
“Dr. Hayes introduced fresh perspectives and relevant research experience to Central Asia, where academic research is still evolving. His ability to explain methods clearly and engagingly allowed us to see how they can be applied to analyze regional issues. He also fostered an environment where we could openly discuss sensitive topics, such as human rights, using professional research tools, which was important for me.” – Kristina Ryabova, MAHRS 2024-2026 student from Kazakhstan.
Students received individualized feedback on their research proposals, benefiting from Dr. Hayes’ mentorship on methodology, ethics, and proposal writing.
These cross-regional faculty exchanges reflect the Global Campus’s broader vision of international academic solidarity and interdisciplinary learning. By circulating expert faculty across continents, the network strengthens regional capacity while nurturing a truly global community of human rights scholars and practitioners. As these enriching collaborations continue, the Global Campus reaffirms its commitment to academic excellence, pedagogical innovation, and the advancement of human rights worldwide.
MAHRS students with Dr. Inge Zwart
ERMA students with Professor Elina Pirjatanniemi
LATMA students with Dr. Anja Mihr