The Global and European Studies Instiute (GESI) at Leipzig University and the Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS) at Addis Ababa University, warmly welcomed new students to their joint MA and PhD program in Global Studies Peace and Security in Africa (GSPSA). During the first days of October, both institutes organized an official induction week, generously hosted by the IPSS in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.
The week started with a cordial welcome from the IPSS Director, Dr. Fana Gebresenbet, who introduced the students to the Institute and its academic and policy-oriented work. In the following three days, an engaging program provided the new students with the necessary background knowledge to carry out their studies at the two partner institutes over the next two years. Students were introduced to the basic parameters of the MA and PhD GSPSA and received practical information about studying online and getting around the city of Addis Ababa. In more in-depth sessions, students discussed topics such as "Academic Writing, Reading, and Research" and "Introduction to Academic Methods in Global Studies”.
Our new students also shared time with the group of 13 exchange students of the Erasmus Mundus Master in Global Studies (EMGS) who will also spend a semester at the IPSS. This creates a productive environment with students from both programs (GSPSA and EMGS) that provides a unique experience of transregional and interdisciplinary academic expertise.