UPEACE
UPEACE
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Accreditation / Acreditación

Accreditation at the University for Peace

The University for Peace (UPEACE) was established in 1980 through a United Nations General Assembly Resolution, making it the only university in the world created by the UN with the specific mandate of “engaging in teaching, research, post-graduate training and dissemination of knowledge fundamental to the full development of the human person and societies through the interdisciplinary study of all matters relating to peace.”

This unique history provides UPEACE with a global legal authorization to grant Master’s and Doctoral degrees.

The legal status of UPEACE degrees is as follows:

1. States Parties to the International Agreement for the Establishment of UPEACE: 41 countries have formally signed this foundational treaty, legally recognizing UPEACE’s authority to issue post-graduate degrees.

2. Non-Signatory States: As UPEACE was established by consensus through a UN General Assembly Resolution, all UN member states are expected to recognize the validity of its degrees under international law.

3. UPEACE Host Country: In 1982, the Government of Costa Rica signed a Headquarters Agreement with UPEACE, granting it the legal capacity to fulfill its academic mission. This allowed UPEACE to become a full member of Costa Rica’s National System of Higher Education Accreditation (SINAES) in 2008.

UPEACE degrees are verified by the International Association of Universities/UNESCO as having been obtained from an institution recognized by a competent national authority.

Several UPEACE Master’s programs have also been accredited by SINAES in Costa Rica, including:

  • Department of Environment and Development: M.A. in Environment, Development and Peace (effective date: March 2014)
  • Department of International Law: M.A. in International Law and Human Rights, M.A. in International Law and the Settlement of Disputes (effective date: May 2016)
  • Department of Peace and Conflict Studies: M.A. in International Peace Studies , M.A. in International Peace Studies with a specialisation in Media, Peace and Conflict Studies (effective date: February 2024)
  • Department of Peace and Conflict Studies: M.A. in Gender and Peacebuilding (effective date: April 2024)

Over the years, thousands of individuals from around the world have graduated from UPEACE with Master’s and Doctoral degrees. UPEACE Alumni work in government agencies, international and non-governmental organizations, and many are employed within the UN system, contributing to the advancement of global peace.