Course description

The world is undergoing a significant strategic and geopolitical transformation that is permeating policy and politics from the global to the local level. The transformation raises questions about order and how to manage it under new and shifting geopolitical conditions. The course investigates the geopolitical outlook of important global actors such as the United States, China and Russia and their effects on global and regional governance institutions. Additionally, the course probes the geopolitical impacts of contestation of existing norms and values and shifting perceptions of order and justice in domestic populations and in states and non-state actors that do not have the traditional geopolitical trappings of power.

The course will explore:

• the causes and consequences of a fragmenting global ordering architecture;
• the return to geopolitics;
• the impact of transnational actors as spoilers and influencers;
• the implications of the new geopolitical environment for issues such as energy, trade and security.

The course aims to give participants an understanding of the rapidly changing and highly complex geopolitical landscape and the numerous challenges it presents for global and local governance, strategic planning and decision-making. The course will equip participants with a broad knowledge of current global geopolitical challenges and concepts such as order, geopolitics, risk and resilience, which are explored by zooming in on a range of challenges. The course adopts a deliberately wide notion of geopolitics encompassing a variety of actors, locations and their interactions, from the global, regional and transnational level to the national, local and personal level.

This course is also part of the curriculum of the EUI Global Executive Master, in the Geopolitics and security (GEOS) specialisation track.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this module, participants will be able to:

• Identify and critically evaluate the main geopolitical challenges in a number of settings.
• Master a conceptual and policy-relevant vocabulary to address and communicate aspects, concepts and dynamics of geopolitics and ordering.
• Demonstrate in-depth empirical and policy-relevant understanding of contemporary global geopolitical challenges.
• Develop analytical skills to understand complex issues and be able to write about, discuss, and communicate geopolitical issues for a range of target audiences.

Information for applicants

This section should contain information about:

• Details on delivery mode and location
• Level, entry requirements and pre-readings
• Accommodation notes and logistics
• Details on language (if different from English)
• Participation modes
• Certification and ECTS (if any)

The course is designed for an online audience, including weekly live online sessions, pre-readings, and assignments with feedback. As a participant you can expect a hands-on approach, with plenty of space dedicated to practical exercises, live interaction, and engagement with real-world examples.

The training will have live online sessions one afternoon per week between 6 October and 13 November 2026.

All live online sessions will be recorded and available for viewing on the EUI’s Virtual Learning Environment.

Certification

Participants who complete all the necessary course assignments will receive a Certificate of Completion with ECTS credits (3) included. The credits obtained by completing this course can be used towards the EUI Global Executive Master. Participants who do not complete the assignments but have regularly attended the course will receive a Certificate of Attendance. The full list of instructors will be announced in due course.