History of the Global Campus
"Human rights education has been one of the main drivers of change since the beginning of the democratisation wave. Indeed, it is hard to imagine that it would be possible to protect human rights without internalising them. For this purpose, at least two interrelated elements are needed: an adequate level of knowledge and the ability to operationalise it under specific social conditions. In other words, teaching and the development of professional skills are necessary.
To respond to these interrelated needs at the university level, the European Union decided more than 20 years ago to support the training of young human rights professionals, first in Europe, then in other world regions. It was the will of these co-operating regional partners to formally establish the Global Campus of Human Rights in 2019, which is now celebrating its first anniversary."
Dzidek Kedzia — Global Campus Honorary President, December 2020
An overview of the Global Campus history
The Global Campus, formally established in 2019, builds on over two decades of commitment to human rights education. Its roots trace back to 1996, when the late Prof. Antonio Papisca of the University of Padua, at the request of the European Commission, launched the first European Master’s Programme in Human Rights and Democratisation (EMA). This innovative, inter-university initiative aimed to train postgraduate students from across the EU in human rights theory and practice, responding to the growing demand for skilled professionals in humanitarian assistance, peacebuilding, and development.
The success of EMA led to the formation of the European Inter-University Centre for Human Rights and Democratisation (EIUC) in 2002, headquartered in Venice. Inspired by EMA’s model, similar Master’s programmes were soon developed in six other regions worldwide, fostering a global network of regional hubs. By 2012, the European Commission designated EIUC as the umbrella organisation for these programmes, paving the way for its transformation into the Global Campus of Human Rights, officially adopted in 2019.
