Hi,
I am interested in the program offered by the Uni of Vienna... it seems like a lucrative degree as most internation organizations which shape the world are located in vienna... any comments on the program?

I am very interested in Vienna University too. I know about its School of Law and it is good enough. But unfortunately they teach only in german. As for english classes Vienna University offer us only LLM in International Legal Studies. I want to apply, but the deadline is 1 Mrach 2008. I haven't passed TOEFL yet. Write if you have any information

there's plenty of time for you to pass Toefl... i dont think i'd require that since i'm a university of london external student...
however i'm still not convinced about the program.... any alumini on the site!!!

There are no alumni of this LLM-prgram because it takes place first time this (or next?) year I think.

I studied at University of Vienna's Law School and can really recommend all professors of the International Law-Institute. They belong to the best qualified jurists among the whole law school and partly are world class scholars. Just read their CVs and you get an idea of their strong qualifications. I really enjoyed (mandatory) international law courses during my curriculum due to the faculty's quality. Strong recommendation so far.

As you might have considered on your own, the program is - as it takes place first time - not renowned (it can't be). That might be a minus.

Hmmm... but is it absurd to think that you'd get a great job after completing this degree?

Not necessarily. It's hard for me to assess your career opportunitites after having finished this program. It would probably be best for you to ask people working in international law (perhaps at an international organisation)!

And i would find them....where exactly?. ( PLZ DONT SAY INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS :P)

So basically... its a risky situation... even though the university is great, the faculty is great and even the location is great... the only problem is... we dont know the future after doing a llm from here...
but considering its location... im thinking it would have influence on the major international organizations... nO? Basically what im trying to ask is... would it have the brand power to gets its students into the best organizations in the world?

Actually, there are more International Organisations located in Geneva, Switzerland than in Vienna.

I recommend you to have a look to the website of the University of Geneva (Graduate Institute of International Studies). It's your best option in Europe.

International organizations in Geneva :

World Trade Organization (WTO)
The WTO, established on 1 January 1995, is the legal and institutional foundation of the multilateral trading system. It provides the principal contractual obligations determining how governments frame and implement domestic trade legislation and regulations. It is also the platform on which trade relations among countries evolve through collective debate, negotiation and adjudication

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
UNCTAD is the principal organ of the United Nations General Assembly in the field of trade and development. UNCTAD members aim to achieve steady sustained growth in all countries and to accelerate the development of developing countries, so that all people can enjoy economic and social well-being

The World Bank - Geneva Office

United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
The UNDP promotes human development, seeking to create opportunities through which people's abilities, talents and creativity can find full expression.

International Trade Center (ITC)
The ITC UNCTAD/WTO is the focal point in the United Nations system for technical cooperation with developing countries in trade promotion. As an executing agency of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), ITC is directly responsible for implementing UNDP-financed projects in developing countries and economies in transition related to trade promotion.

Bank for International Settlements (BIS)

United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG)
Geneva is home to the second largest United Nations office, after the New York Headquarters. UNOG is the largest and most active centre for conference diplomacy in the world and the site of many historic negotiations.

Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)
The Inter-Parliamentary Union, the focal point for world-wide parliamentary dialogue, works for peace and co-operation among peoples and for the firm establishment of representative democracy.

International Law Commission (ILC)
The ILC is a UN body devoted to the codification and progressive development of international law.

Economic Commission for Europe (ECE)
The UN/ECE is the forum at which the countries of North America, western, central and eastern Europe and central Asia come together to forge the tools of their economic cooperation.

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
The ICRC, independent of all governments and international organisations, endeavours to promote international humanitarian law and the fundamental human values underlying that law. The ICRC was founded by Geneva citizens in 1863 and has its headquarters in Geneva.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
The UNHCR provides protection and assistance to the world's refugees. Today, the UNHCR is one of the world's principal humanitarian agencies, with headquarters in Geneva, and offices in some 115 countries. More than 80 percent of UNHCR's 5,000-member staff work in the field, often in isolated, dangerous and difficult conditions. The UNHCR has twice been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for its work.

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR)
The focal point for the activities of the United Nations in the field of human rights is located in Geneva at the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

International Telecommunications Union (ITU)
The ITU, which became a specialized agency of the United Nations in 1947, is an intergovernmental organization, within which the public and private sectors cooperate for the development of telecommunications.

European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) was established in 1960 by the Stockholm Convention to eliminate tariffs and other restrictions on trade between EFTA members.

World Economic Forum (WEF)
The Geneva-based Word Economic Forum is widely known through its annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. The WEF is an NGO in consultative status (Category 1) with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.

Other economic forum based in Geneva: Crans-montana forum

United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD)
The United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) is an autonomous agency engaging in multi-disciplinary research on the social dimensions of contemporary problems affecting development.

International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD)
The International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD or the Centre) was established in Geneva in September 1996 to contribute to a better understanding of development and environment concerns in the context of international trade.

South Centre
The South Centre works for the benefit of the South as a whole, making efforts to ensure that all developing countries and interested groups and persons have access to its publications and the results of its work, irrespective of membership.

etc etc etc

Hello everyone!!! Do you know anything about the Master in Advanced International Studies of the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna?

As a lawyer working in international law I cannot believe what some advertisers from Geneva dare to challenge! The person seems to be merely advertising the Geneva University Program. But: most of the international organisatiosn quoted are not even headquarters!

Im amazed that nobody else bothered to comment on this yet. Im aware that experienced lawyers know this, but how should young students know?

What is the most important difference between Geneva and Vienna is the fact that Vienna also is a European Capital with an additional advantage of belonging to the EU as well as being experienced in rubbing shoulders with Eastern Europe. Austria altogether has the greatest experience in handling matters concerned with the Balkan, Turkey and Russia for centuries. This may make it more understandable why so many International Organisations and NGOs preferred to found their HEADQUARTERS in Vienna rather than anywhere else in Europe.

The most important International Organizations in Vienna (not all) (Headquarters in Standard typing)

Amnesty International (ai) not headquarters

CARE International not hq

Central Europe Center for Research and Documentation (CEC)

Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW)

Conference of NGOs in Consultative Status with the United Nations (CONGO)

Consumers International (CI)

Doctors without Borders (MSF)

European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research (EUROCENTRE)

European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC)

European Patent Office (EPO) not hq

The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF) -bankrupt

International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)

International Organization for Migration (IOM)

International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI)

International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) not hq

OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID)

Organization of Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)

Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO)

Society for International Development (SID)

United Nations Association of Austria (UNA)

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)

United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL)

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Austrian Commission for UNESCO

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)

United Nations International Sustainable Energy Organization for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (UNISEO)

United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UN-OOSA)

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) - Secretariat

Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies (WA)

Working Association for Development Cooperation

World Peace Council (WCP)

World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF)





Conference of NGOs in Consultative Status with the United Nations (CONGO)

CONGO facilitates the participation of NGOs in United Nations debates and decision-making. CONGO is most active at the major UN centres of New York, Geneva and Vienna but its work stretches out to all regions of the world. CONGO's role in mobilizing NGOs to form the first worldwide NGO forum on human rights in 1968, its role in conceiving forms of NGO participation in UN world conferences and its advocacy on behalf of NGOs at UN Headquarters highlight CONGO's chief objectives: to ensure that NGOs be present when governments discuss issues of global concern at the United Nations and to facilitate NGO discussions on such issues.

NGOs with full CONGO membership status include national, regional and international organizations in consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). CONGO associate membership is open to NGOs associated with the UN system but not holding that consultative status.



European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research (EUROCENTRE)

The European Centre is a UN-affiliated intergovernmental organization concerned with all aspects of social welfare policy and research. Based on comparative empirical research, the European Centre provides expertise on issues of demographic development, work and employment, incomes, poverty and social exclusion, social security, migration and social integration, human security, care, health and well-being through the provision of public goods and personal services. The focus is on the interplay of socio-economic developments with institutions, public policies, monetary transfers and in-kind benefits, population needs and the balance of rights and obligations.



The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)

is a Vienna-based agency of the European Union inaugurated on 1 March 2007. It was established by Council Regulation as the successor to the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC). Like the previous EUMC, its primary methods of operation are investigation, reports, provision of expert assistance to EU bodies, member states, and EU candidate countries and potential candidate countries, and the education of the public. It is not intended to intervene in individual cases - that being the remit of the European Court of Human Rights - but rather investigate broad issues and trends.



International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)

IIASA is an international research organization which conducts inter-disciplinary scientific studies on environmental, economic, technological, and social issues in the context of human dimensions of global change. The work is based on original state-of-the-art methodology and analytical approaches. The methods and tools generated are useful to both decision makers and the scientific community. IIASA is sponsored by its National Member Organizations in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America.



International Institute for Peace (IIP)

IIP pursues the objective of contributing to the maintenance and strengthening of peace through its research activities and ensures that the results of these activities are available to the international academic community, politicians and decision-makers.

International Organization for Migration (IOM)

IOM mainly assists governments in Central and Eastern Europe to meet the growing challenges of migration management. Its mandate is to provide knowledge on migration issues, to encourage social and economic development through migration and to uphold human dignity and the well-being of migrants.

International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI)

INTOSAI operates as an umbrella organisation for the external government audit community and provides an institutionalised framework for supreme audit institutions to promote development and transfer of knowledge, improve government auditing worldwide and enhance professional capacities, standing and influence of member SAIs in their respective countries. INTOSAI is an autonomous, independent and non-political organisation. It is a non-governmental organisation with special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations. At present INTOSAI has 189 Full Members and 3 Associated Members



OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID)

Known initially as the OPEC Special Fund, this facility was one of several bilateral and multilateral development institutions set up by the OPEC and Arab countries. Its resources were additional to those already earmarked for official development assistance (ODA) by the OPEC nations. OFID's key aim is to foster social and economic progress in the developing world through the provision of concessional financing for developing countries.



Organization of Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)

OSCE is the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, human rights, freedom of the press, and fair elections. The OSCE is an ad hoc organization under the United Nations Charter (Chap. VIII), and is concerned with early warning, conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation. Its 56 participating States are from Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia and North America and cover most of the northern hemisphere. It was created during the Cold War era as an East-West forum.



Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO)

The Commission is an international organization financed by the CTBT States Signatories. It is not part of the United Nations although it follows the UN system.

The commission lays the groundwork required to build up the global verification regime to monitor compliance with the treaty.



United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL)

The General Assembly gave the Commission the general mandate to further the progressive harmonization and unification of the law of international trade. The Commission has since come to be the core legal body of the United Nations system in the field of international trade law.



United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)

UNIDO was established in 1966 and became a specialized agency of the United Nations in 1985 and is the only organization aiming at improving standards of living through industries that are both internationally competitive and environmentally sustainable. The main focus is on promoting growth in the small and medium enterprise sector - the key generator of wealth in most developing countries. UNIDO plays a leading role in, among others, the implementation of the Montreal Protocol for the elimination of ozone depleting substances (ODS) and the Stockholm Convention for the elimination of persistent organic pollutants (POPs)

United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UN-OOSA)

the United Nations office is responsible for promoting international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space and offers training courses and pilot projects on topics that include remote sensing, satellite navigation, satellite meteorology, tele-education and basic space sciences for the benefit of developing nations.



United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

Established in 1997 through a merger between the United Nations Drug Control Programme and the Centre for International Crime Prevention, UNODC is mandated to assist Member States in their struggle against illicit drugs, crime and terrorism.

United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) Secretariat

Its mandate in the United Nations system is to assess and report levels and effects of exposure to ionizing radiation. Governments and organizations throughout the world rely on the Committee's estimates as the scientific basis for evaluating radiation risk and for establishing protective measures. With the Russian Federation and Slovakia superseding the USSR and Czechoslovakia in the 1990s, 21 countries provide the present membership of the Committee, working on behalf of the United Nations. More than 50 national organizations and several international organizations provide considerable contributions in kind. The Secretariat in Vienna, linked to UNEP, organizes and services the annual sessions and manages the preparation of documents for the Committee's scrutiny.

the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) which is responsible for the establishment of a global verification regime to monitor compliance with the comprehensive ban on explosive nuclear testing.

The Organisation for Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) aims to co-ordinate and unify petroleum policies among its member countries, in order to secure fair and stableupply of petroleum to consuming nations; and a fair return on capital to those investing

Your post was very helpful. I'm an attorney from South Africa with an LL.M in Medical Law currently seeking international opportunities. I will be visiting the websites of some ot he organizations that you've listed to see if they might have any opportunities available.

Could you recommend some specific ones that might be interested in someone with this type of qualification? I'm also considering to further my studies in Medical Law with a focus on International health law. Do you know of any good LL.M programs in this field?

Thanks and regards.