Professor Gloria Gaggioli Is the New Director of the Geneva Academy

Geneva Academy

24 August 2020

Professor Gloria Gaggioli is, as of August 2020, the new Director of the Geneva Academy. She replaces Professor Marco Sassòli who led the institution during two intense and productive years.

A renowned scholar in international humanitarian law (IHL) and human rights, Gloria Gaggioli is Associate/SNF Professor at the Law Faculty of the University of Geneva and teaches courses on human rights and terrorism at the Geneva Academy. She has published widely in various fields of public international law and participates regularly in international conferences, roundtables and expert meetings. She is currently leading a four-year research project funded by the SNF on ‘Preventing and Combating Terrorism and Violent Extremism: Towards a Legal-Empirical Approach’.

‘Gloria Gaggioli brings to the Geneva Academy her solid research and teaching experience in IHL and human rights, as well as a wide network of academics, practitioners and institutions active in this field. Her high profile highlights the importance of the ever-growing ties between academic experts and the Geneva-based IOs and NGOs’ says Yves Flückiger, Rector of the University of Geneva.

‘The Geneva Academy is recognized worldwide for its education and research activities. Having now one of its alumna as its new Director is but another proof of the Geneva Academy’s invaluable contribution to training tomorrow’s leaders and decision-makers in the humanitarian and human rights fields’ comments comments Philippe Burrin, Director of the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies.

In her new role, Gloria Gaggioli will provide vision and guidance to anchor the role of the Geneva Academy as a centre for academic excellence that provides high-quality education, training and research in international law in armed conflict and in human rights.

‘I look forward to pursuing Professor Sassòli’s work and deliver, together with my colleagues, high-quality teaching – both online and in Geneva – that equips our students with the best legal tools to address complex humanitarian and human rights challenges. I also want the Geneva Academy to continue to develop its research activities and to delve into issues that are under-explored and need clarification to advance understanding, stimulate debate in the academic community and in policy-making institutions and governments. Our objective is to contribute ultimately to the protection of the most vulnerable in times of conflict and other situations of violence’ explains Gloria Gaggioli.

‘I am very pleased to work with the new Director Gloria Gaggioli who brings her expertise, dedication and sense of innovation to develop further the Geneva Academy’ says Professor Vincent Chetail, President of the Board of the Geneva Academy.

During his two-year leadership, Professor Sassòli accompanied major research projects and discussions in the field of IHL and was also key in ensuring continued quality and interactive teaching for all Geneva Academy’s students during the COVID-19 crisis. He remains part of the Geneva Academy Faculty and will continue to teach courses in the LLM and Executive Master in International Law in Armed Conflict.