Dag Hammarskjöld Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies (DHIPS)

The Institute is named after Dr. Dag Hammarskjöld, a Swedish National and the second Secretary General (SG) of the United Nations (1953–1961). Among the many countries of the world to which he traveled as SG, he also traveled to many countries in Africa, including South Africa. Sadly, while on one of his UN Peace Missions to next-door Congo (as it then was—now the DRC), the SG lost his life under, for many scholars, some rather mysterious circumstances when the aircraft in which he and others were traveling crashed in Ndola, the Copperbelt, in mid-September 1961. The Institute was later established after consultations involving the Zambian Government during the Presidency of Dr. Kenneth Kaunda, the Swedish Embassy accredited to Zambia and the United Nations. Consistent with its name and based on its mandate, the Dag Hammarskjöld Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies (DHIPS), a postgraduate teaching- and research-driven Institute which specializes in Peace and Conflict Studies (PCS), seeks to train men and women to be contributors to the promotion of peace and the mitigation and management of conflict wherever such is required—be it nationally, regionally, continentally or globally. PCS is a multidisciplinary field of study and so welcomes any Applicant from any academic discipline who holds a master’s degree from an Institution of Higher Learning that is approved by the Higher Education Authority as well as holder of a Grade 12 Certificate with at least a Pass in English and a Satisfactory Standing in Mathematics.  Our graduates/alumni are found throughout various sectors, consistent with the type of training that DHIPS provides. That includes several Government Ministries and Parastatals, and the Security Wings such as the Zambian Air Force and the Police. They are also found within Organs of the African Union such as the Lusaka-based Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) as well as various Organs of the UN such as the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR)

The objectives of the Dag Hammarskjöld Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies
(DHIPS) can be inferred from the provided information as follows:

To Provide Specialized Education: DHIPS offers four areas of specialisation in
Peace and Conflict Studies, ensuring students gain in-depth knowledge in their
chosen fields

To Establish a Strong Foundational Understanding: Students are required to complete all foundational courses in Stage One before progressing to specialised studies

To Promote Advanced Research and Fieldwork: At Stage Four, students undertake
fieldwork-based research, culminating in a dissertation that must be prepared
and defended

To Develop Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding Skills: Through its structured
academic stages, DHIPS aims to equip students with the necessary skills to
contribute effectively to peace and conflict resolution efforts

To Encourage Critical Thinking and Analysis: By requiring dissertation research and defence, the institute fosters analytical skills essential for addressing complex peace and conflict issues

  • Master of Arts in Peace and Conflict Studies—Environment, Sustainable Development Peace
  • Master of Arts in Peace and Conflict Studies—Human Rights, Governance and Peacebuilding
  • Master of Arts in Peace and Conflict Studies—Human Security and Development
  • Master of Arts in Peace and Conflict Studies—Diplomacy and Strategic Studies 

   Collaborative Research and/or Consultancy Arrangements with the United Nations, the African
Union, the Regional Economic Communities, the Government of the Republic of
Zambia, the Three Church Mother-Bodies and various Academic Institutions and
NGO’s  

Dr Gosnell Lenox Yorke – Coordinator and Senior Lecturer

PhD (Religious/Biblical Studies and two-years of Legal Training, McGill University, Canada); Post-Doctoral Certificate in Linguistics (University of South Africa); and External Research Fellow, The Tshepo Institute for the Study of Contemporary Africa (Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada)

Dr. Makano 

Mr. Kambela