Humanitarian Courses

Strategia Netherlands provides humanitarian courses to professionals across Europe, Africa and the Middle East, including humanitarian certificate courses, humanitarian diploma courses, online humanitarian courses. We have trained more than 10,000 professionals across the humanitarian and development sector, working with organizations including WHO, UNICEF, UNDP, Oxfam and USAID.

Available Across Europe, Africa and the Middle East

In Africa, Across Ethiopia, Tanzania and Kenya, access to accredited university-level humanitarian degree programs remains limited outside major cities, which is why structured Certificate, Diploma and Post-Graduate pathways are widely used by African NGOs to formalize staff qualifications for promotion into program management roles. In Europe, Netherlands and Germany-based professionals frequently combine a humanitarian course with an existing university qualification to specialize in a specific sub-field, such as shelter and settlements or humanitarian logistics, before applying to field positions. In Middle East, In Jordan and Lebanon, national staff working for international NGOs often need an internationally recognized humanitarian certificate to be considered for program roles that have historically been reserved for expatriate staff.

• Humanitarian Courses in Africa
• Humanitarian Courses in Europe
• Humanitarian Courses in Middle East

How This Program Differs by Region

While the core humanitarian courses curriculum is consistent everywhere, each region’s page adds context and skills specific to that setting:

Choose the region that matches where you work or plan to work — the underlying certificate is identical, but the applied examples and one additional module focus will be most relevant to that context.

Industry Context

The humanitarian and development sector has moved toward structured, tiered qualifications as a way to standardize skills across a workforce that is often assembled quickly during emergencies. A Certificate-to-Diploma-to-Post-Graduate Diploma pathway gives organizations a consistent way to assess a candidate’s formal preparation, independent of where they studied. This matters particularly for organizations hiring across multiple countries, where university systems and prior qualifications vary widely.

Our Teaching Approach

Each course level builds on the last: the Certificate introduces a topic, the Diploma applies it through case studies, and the Post-Graduate Diploma requires independent analysis of a real humanitarian challenge. Materials are updated to reflect current sector practice rather than fixed once and left unchanged, and facilitators bring direct field or donor-side experience to session discussions. Assignments at every level are graded individually by a facilitator, with written feedback, rather than through automated scoring alone.

Humanitarian Courses Curriculum Overview

What You’ll Learn

• A structured pathway from Certificate (3 months) through Diploma (6 months) to Post-Graduate Diploma (12 months)
• Specialized modules covering humanitarian law, disaster management, gender in humanitarian action, and shelter and settlements
• Case-study based learning drawn from real emergency responses

Who Should Enroll

• Professionals seeking a formal qualification to advance into humanitarian management roles
• University graduates entering the development and humanitarian sector
• NGO staff pursuing continuous professional development

Entry Requirements

• A secondary education qualification for the Certificate course; a first degree or equivalent professional experience is recommended for the Diploma and Post-Graduate Diploma
• Working proficiency in written and spoken English
• Reliable internet access for online coursework, assessments and any live sessions
• For the Post-Graduate Diploma, at least one year of relevant work or volunteer experience is recommended but not mandatory

Course Formats & Fees

Courses are available fully online, so location is never a barrier to enrolling, alongside in-person workshops in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

We offer a 10% discount for groups of 5 or more enrolling together.

Which Format Is Right for You?

The Certificate course suits professionals who need a focused introduction within a single budget cycle. The Diploma is the most commonly chosen option for those who want applied, case-study depth without committing to a full year of study. The Post-Graduate Diploma is best suited to those pursuing a formal qualification to support promotion into program management or specialist roles.

Assessment & Certification

Each course level is assessed differently: the Certificate uses module quizzes and a final assignment; the Diploma adds a longer applied project; the Post-Graduate Diploma culminates in a research-based capstone paper. All levels require a 60% pass mark to receive the corresponding certificate or diploma.

Career Pathways

Graduates use these qualifications to move into or advance within roles such as:

• Program officer and project coordinator positions within NGOs and UN agencies
• Specialist roles in shelter, logistics or protection depending on the modules chosen
• Management-track positions that require a formal humanitarian qualification for promotion

Course Materials & Ongoing Support

Course materials are hosted on a private online learning portal and include video lectures, readings, case studies and the assignments for your chosen level. Materials stay accessible for 12 months after enrollment, so Diploma and Post-Graduate Diploma participants can revisit earlier Certificate-level content as a refresher. Facilitators respond to forum questions within two business days.

Who Delivers This Training

Sessions are facilitated by practitioners with direct humanitarian, development or donor-side experience, not academic staff only. Facilitators bring real case material into each module and are available for questions throughout the course rather than only during scheduled sessions. Wherever relevant, facilitators draw on examples from all three regions we serve — Europe, Africa and the Middle East — so the material stays grounded regardless of where you’re based.

About Strategia Netherlands

Strategia Netherlands is a training provider based in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, focused specifically on the humanitarian and development sector. We work with NGOs, UN agencies and government partners across Europe, Africa and the Middle East, and every course we run is built and updated by facilitators with direct field, donor or policy experience rather than academic staff alone. Our goal is straightforward: participants should leave every course with skills and materials they can use immediately in their actual work, not a certificate alone.

We keep our course catalog deliberately focused rather than broad, covering humanitarian training, humanitarian courses, funding for NGOs, humanitarian studies and Monitoring & Evaluation, so that each program gets sustained investment in updated case studies and materials rather than being one of hundreds of generic titles.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between the Certificate, Diploma and Post-Graduate Diploma?

The Certificate course (3 months, €500) is an introduction to a specific topic. The Diploma (6 months, €1,000) goes deeper with applied modules. The Post-Graduate Diploma (12 months, €1,500) is our most advanced qualification.

Do you offer group discounts?

Yes, we offer a 10% discount for groups of 5 or more enrolling together — a common option for NGO teams and government departments.

Can I pay course fees in installments?

Yes. Certificate fees can be split into two installments; Diploma and Post-Graduate Diploma fees can be split into monthly installments across the course duration on request.

Are these courses academically accredited?

These are professional qualifications issued by Strategia Netherlands, recognized across the NGO and UN sector we work with. They are not accredited university degrees — organizations or immigration processes requiring accredited academic credentials should confirm requirements directly.

How much time per week should I expect to commit?

Most Certificate participants commit 3–5 hours per week; Diploma and Post-Graduate Diploma participants typically commit 5–8 hours per week given the added case-study and research workload.