In addition or parallel to its primary research activities, the Flowers' Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences programmes offer career-enhancement certificate courses.
The Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences courses are designed to provide hands-on practical approaches to how to successfully master and apply, among others, leadership, conflict management and entrepreneurship skills as well as equipping students to pursue a long-term career within the discipline in a variety of fields
Course Author & Instructor
Regional Integration
African countries are vigorously using regional co-operation and integration as a strategy to achieve sustainable economic growth and development as well as be an effective and major player in the global marketplace. However the pace of integration has been slow and progress is very mixed. Cognisance of the slow pace of a continent-wide integration, African leadership has provided a framework under which the integration agenda would be carried out. This framework is enshrined in the 1991 Abuja Treaty of African Heads of State and Government. Under the framework of the Treaty, Africa would become an economic union by 2027, with a common currency, full mobility of the factors of production and free trade among the 53 countries that make up the continent.
Course Author & Instructor
Regional Integration
To achieve national development plans, the Treaty suggests that the process of integration or the creation of Africa Economic Community (AEC) be carried out over a period of 34 years (1994-2027), in six different stages of different duration: (1) to establish free trade areas and custom unions at the regional level; (2) to stabilize existing tariff and non-tariff barriers, customs duties and internal taxes as well strengthen sectoral integration at the sub-regional and continental levels in areas such as trade, agriculture, transport, money and finance; (3) to create free trade areas and customs unions at the level of the RECs; (4) to coordinate and harmonize tariff and non-tariff barriers among RECs, setting the stage for a free trade area and a customs union at the AEC level; (5) to establish the African Common Market; and (6) to establish the African Economic Community (AEC) culminating in the creation of a Pan-African Economic and Monetary Union with a single currency for the continent.
Course Author & Instructor
International Relations
The purpose of this course is to introduce you to the fundamental principles of international relations. We will examine the theories of realism, liberalism and constructivism as they are understood in world politics. We will also explore issues that relate to the politics of conflict, diplomacy, environmental concerns, human rights, and examine the role of Africa in international relations. At the end of this course, you will have a comprehensive understanding of the basic principles and concepts of International Relations, as well as the ability to critically examine the global political system.
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A key challenge in RI is the slow implementation of integration process by African countries arising from lack of necessary institutional mechanisms for achieving their objectives. This is often evident in inconsistencies between national legislation and integration commitments and mechanisms and in the absence of strong enforcement mechanisms. RI initiatives require a large degree of public management and implementation at national levels. Without an absolute commitment to implementation at the national level, there can be no progress at the sub-regional and continental levels. Therefore, doing nothing or little to implement agreed programs at the national level can severely hamper the integration agenda.
Overview: Regional Integration (RI) Process; Types of Regional Integration; What is Mainstreaming RI?; The Challenges of Mainstreaming Regional Integration;
A Framework for Mainstreaming RI in National Development Plans: Phase I – Making the Case – Understanding the Linkages between RI, National Development Plans and Socio-Economic Development; Phase 2: Assessing the Status of Domesticating RI in Regional Economic Communities (RECs); Phase 3: National Planning Process & Entry Points for RI; Phase 4: Engagement with the National Development Process; Phase 5: Building National Implementation Capacity.
Public/global health law, International law, Refugee/migrant health, Internally displaced populations, Indigenous populations, Children in war, Sexual and gender violence, African human rights systems, Mental health, Post-colonial studies, Decolonizing cultures, Pre-colonial history of Africa.
To foster integration and turn it into leverage for development, member States have to come out with clear “mainstreaming” strategies for domesticating the Africa-wide RI agenda into National Development Plans (NDPs). The process of mainstreaming refers to the systematic integration of the objectives and related initiatives of RI as well as the process of creating ownership of the agenda into the overall NDPs, poverty reduction strategies and in the society in order to attain the “popular legitimacy” necessary for the success of RI. More broadly, the concept of mainstreaming RI should ultimately contribute to economic growth, poverty alleviation and overall socio-economic development. Though crucial to Africa’s development, the concept of mainstreaming RI is still little understood or practiced, hence the need to build the capacity to implement it in African countries.
Core Subjects:
University degree in Economics, Development, Engineering, Social Sciences and related fields required. Although prior knowledge in RI is not a prerequisite, the course will be particularly important for those officials already working in governments, RECs, UN, AfDB, the Private Sector, NGOs, and other institutions concerned with planning, implementing and monitoring & evaluation of RI.
Upon completion, the course participant will gain practical understanding and deeper insights in the application of the framework for Mainstreaming RI in National Development Plans. Overall, the course participant will be able to plan, schedule manage, monitor and evaluate the process of RI at national and regional levels.
The purpose of this course is to introduce you to the fundamental principles of international relations. We will examine the theories of realism, liberalism and constructivism as they are understood in world politics. We will also explore issues that relate to the politics of conflict, diplomacy, environmental concerns, human rights, and examine the role of Africa in international relations. At the end of this course, you will have a comprehensive understanding of the basic principles and concepts of International Relations, as well as the ability to critically examine the global political system.
Course Topics
Introduction to international relations; the nation-state system; realism; liberalism; constructivism; globalisation; clash of civilisations; human rights; environmental issues; diplomacy; non-state actors; Africa in international relations.
Negotiation and Mediation is a course on the two fundamental peaceful methods of conflict resolution, considering the conflict at hand, the different methods of dealing with it and their success conditions. Every day families, neighbours, businesses and nations face the dilemma of how to get to “yes” without escalating the conflict or damaging relationships. To help you understand and apply mediation and negotiation in different situations and settings, this course gives you an overview of the methods and research findings as well as provides a practical approach for negotiating agreements amicably in every day life.
Course Scope:
Understanding of conflict, Methods of peaceful conflict resolution (mediation and negotiation), Research findings on conditions for successful conflict resolution, Presentation of mediation and negotiation techniques, Applying conflict resolution techniques.
Course Level:
Offered through an engaging mode of delivery, the course is designed for highly motivated individuals of diverse backgrounds who are looking forward to getting to know conflict resolution methods on a theoretical level as well as learning how to apply them in disputes, concerning relatives, friends, employees, business partners, nations, etc.
Teaching Method:
Course sessions generally include weekly online tuition, providing the main aspects of conflict resolution methods, mediation and negotiation and related topics. In addition to theories, findings and case studies presented by the instructor, students practice acquired knowledge via exercises, discussions and case study analysis.
All of us experience conflict. The potential for conflict can be found in any kind of relationship: between friends, family members, working colleagues or even strangers. Conflicts can arise when the attainment of one person’s goal means the failure of the other person to attain their own personal objective.
The most important thing about conflict is to learn how to manage or resolve it in a constructive way. A critical step in resolving conflict is developing an understanding of shared goals. Openness to compromise solutions enables mutual benefits.
In this course, you will learn about effective conflict management strategies, encompassing communication, facilitation and negotiation skills, and how to deal with interpersonal conflicts at the workplace.
At the end of this course, the course participant will be able to:
The Democracy and Leadership: A Way of Life course introduces highly motivated individuals to the fundamental principles of Democracy and Leadership as a core competence for good leadership in African communities. Designed for an audience of diverse professional fields, the course participants will gain essential tools to develop their own leadership styles and map out executable frameworks that can help their local communities or organisations thrive.
Course Topics
Prerequisites:
The core components of the course are designed for an audience of undergraduate standing and highly motivated individuals of diverse backgrounds. Senior Executives, Managers and Leaders at all levels benefit from this one semester course. The course assumes no prior knowledge of the subject material.
Objectives
The course is designed to:
How many times have you tried to unleash your writing potential but failed to do so due to perhaps procrastination or lack of motivation? How many books have you stopped half-way reading simply because you’d thought you could have written better than the author? Have you written a book now? Do you have a story idea you intend to develop? Are you writing a story with difficulty? Is it your dream to have your story published and released both in print and audio? If there is at least one YES in your responses, then this is your opportunity to learn how to plan, draft and complete a 90,000-word novel in 50 days or less… Plus how to get published… and Plus how to successfully market your work online and offline.
If you’ve survived a civil war, an unspeakable ordeal, plane crash, shipwreck, it’s a book. If you’re a top athlete, you’re a book. If you hold the national eating competition, it’s a book. If you’re a big drug cheat, you’re a book. If you’ve told one interesting story a thousand times, tell it once more in a book. If you’re a cancer survivor, you’re a living book. If people are amazed to hear your life experiences, you have a book in you. Unleash your writing potential… and marry the basic skills in Entrepreneurship and Authorship to become an Authorpreneur.
Core Topics Covered:
This Creative Writing and Authorpreneurship self-help-driven course material is about guiding you to quit talking and begin doing; and to bundle your knowledge, interests, hobbies, expertise, passion, skills, talents, motivational speaking, and all the good stuffs you’re good at, into a published book for your many potential readers in-wait.
This course is an introductory course. It is intended to provide basic information on how to carry out simple research within your local community. Research findings can be used to drive policy change and/or improve intervention programs. Upon completing the course, each student is expected to have the capability to:
Quantitative Analysis I is a course on the fundamental concepts and methods of statistics, covering topics such as averages, frequency distribution tables, stem & leaf diagrams, data analysis and use of probability tools such as correlation. Many jobs or professions require you to make objective decisions based upon statistical data. To help you make these kinds of decisions, this course shows you how to collect, analyse, and interpret data correctly. The course also shows you how to present data in ways that are clear and accurate.
Quantitative Analysis I Course Content: Collecting and recording data; Averages and spread; Processing data; Representing data; Interpreting data; Scatter graphs and relationships; Probability; Regression.
Quantitative Analysis II is a course on the representation of sample data and methods of summarizing data. It also involves the use of probability tools such as correlation, regression analysis, as well as use of random variables, the Binomial, Poisson, Normal and Continuous Distributions and Hypothesis Tests to interpret data. Many jobs or professions require you to make objective decisions based upon statistical data you have collected and analysed accurately. To help you make these kinds of decisions, this course shows you how to collect, analyze, and interpret data correctly. The course also shows you how to present data in ways that are clear and accurate upon which management of companies and organization can based their decisions.
Quantitative Analysis II Course Content: Representation of sample data; Methods for summarising sample data; Methods for Summarising data (dispersion); Probability; Correlation; Regression; Discrete random variable; The normal distribution; The binomial and Poisson distributions; Continuous random variables; Hypothesis tests.
This is an introductory course in grammar and composition that benefits students who aspire university education and/or publishing. It may also interest anyone who desires to improve his/her language proficiency or planning to return to school after a long break. The course will help participants develop basic academic/university style communication and composition. Topics include grammar, parts of speech, sentence and paragraph structure, constitution of academic paper, and gathering information to write and publish.
Section I: Back to Basics
Section II: Witing the Paper
Section III: Writing Publishable Materials