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Short Courses

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The Center for Migration and Refugee Studies (CMRS) short courses provide specialized education in particular topics within the field of refugees and migration. Each course is an intensive five-day course tailored to practitioners in the field as well as students and researchers. Participants include staff members of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Organization for Migration, Caritas, churches, human rights lawyers and NGOs. The participants do not only come from Egypt and the surrounding regions, but also from Europe, the United States and Asia.

Recently our courses have attracted AUC students, both graduates and undergraduates, from fields such as political science, anthropology, sociology and human rights. Some of them decided to pursue the migration and refugee graduate degree as a result of their positive experiences with the CMRS short courses. Refugees in Cairo also attend our courses and add their unique perspectives. Their participation is facilitated by a tuition waiver provided by CMRS.

Some of our short courses are provided annually, while other courses are repeated according to demand. Two of our regular courses that are repeated each year are ‘International Refugee Law’ and ‘Meeting the Psychosocial Needs of Refugees’ . Most of our courses are delivered through a combination of lectures and interactive small group exercises where participants learn how to relate theory to practice. CMRS has offered over 35 short courses since its establishment in 2000.

 

Summer Short Courses 2025-2026 (Application Deadline: November 30, 2026)

Course timeline January 10 – 14, 2027

Employment, livelihoods, entrepreneurship and private-sector development have increasingly become central to international responses to forced migration. But do these interventions actually improve the economic opportunities and trajectories of refugees and other people on the move? And for whom do they work?
This course takes a critical, research-to-action approach to examining economic inclusion in contexts of forced migration. Rather than assuming that entrepreneurship, employment or self-reliance constitute universal solutions, it explores the different pathways through which people navigate labour markets and economic opportunities—including wage employment, entrepreneurship, self-employment, skills development and mobility.
Drawing on political science, sociology and migration studies, the course examines how human and social capital, gender, class, legal status, family responsibilities, previous experience and institutional environments shape economic trajectories. It also asks how international organisations, governments and development partners translate concepts such as self-reliance, resilience, employability, economic inclusion and decent work into concrete policies and programmes. Combining theory, empirical case studies and practical policy analysis, the course equips participants to critically assess development interventions and to identify how policies can better respond to the diversity of people’s economic trajectories, capabilities and aspirations.

About the Instructor:

Maya Chehade is a researcher, strategic advisor and consultant working at the intersection of migration, mobility, employment and economic inclusion. She is an Adjunct Professor at the American University in Cairo (AUC) and affiliated with its Center for Migration and Refugee Studies (CMRS). She also serves as a Migration Expert and Strategic Advisor with Expertise France, and undertakes independent research and consulting for governments, international organizations and development partners.  She holds a PhD in Political Science from Sciences Po Paris, where she examined the economic and entrepreneurial trajectories of Syrian refugees in Egypt and Jordan between 2011 and 2023, and a Master's degree from King's College London. Her teaching and research bring together migration studies, political economy and field-based research, with a particular interest in translating evidence into better policy and practice.

Course timeline January 17 – 20, 2027

How migration is represented in the media can influence how the public understands it. The images, terms, and tone used in media coverage can contribute to portraying migrants and refugees as a security threat, an economic burden, vulnerable victims, contributors to society, or people with rights.
This intensive, practice-oriented course examines the relationship between public opinion, migration, and media narratives. It begins by examining public opinion on migration and the factors that shape attitudes towards migrants and refugees. It then introduces key approaches to understanding the relationship between media and public opinion, with particular emphasis on framing as a tool for analyzing how migration is represented.
The course then focuses on applying qualitative media framing analysis to migration-related content. Participants will learn how to identify frames, distinguish frames from topics and tone, analyze language and sources, and develop a coding framework for systematically analyzing media material. Through a practical exercise, participants will apply these tools to real media content and critically examine how different outlets construct migration stories, which perspectives are emphasized or overlooked, and how the same migration issue or event can be presented in different ways. 

About the Instructor:

Maysa Ayoub is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the American University in Cairo, teaching in both the Center for Migration and Refugee Studies (CMRS) and the Sociology Department. With over twenty years’ experience, she is a leading scholar in international migration. Her research and teaching expertise cover key areas, including migration policies, public opinion and migration, migration and integration, social problems in the Middle East, and qualitative research methodologies. Ayoub holds a PhD in Political Science from the Faculty of Economics and Political Science at Cairo University, an MA in Sociology, and a postgraduate diploma in Migration Studies from the American University in Cairo. Her PhD thesis examined the complex relationship among migration policies, public opinion, and media narratives, comparing European countries’ policy responses to large refugee influxes.

Course timeline January 24-28, 2027

This intensive short course will introduce the international legal framework governing the protection of refugees. Through lectures, case studies, short films and group discussions, course participants will learn about the fundamental principles of international refugee law, through the lens of the 1951 Refugee Convention. We will closely examine the “refugee” definition(s), who is excluded from that definition, the process through which refugee status is determined, and the role of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The course will also explore, more broadly, other topics on refugee rights and refugee policy, especially in the context of today’s polarized, politicized discourse on refugees and migration. We will study the tension between the sovereignty of nation-states and their international law obligations, as we discuss the growing use of migration agreements as a “migration management” tool and the ways in which such practices infringe upon the right to seek asylum. A background in law is useful for this course but is not required.

About the Instructor: 

Parastou Hassouri is a Cairo-based migration and refugee law consultant who regularly teaches courses on migration and international refugee law and has extensive experience in this field. Her experience includes working as a consultant with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in different operations including in Morocco, Turkey, Jordan, and the Russian Federation. She has served as a research consultant for several non-governmental organizations and worked as a Legal Advisor with Africa and Middle East Refugee Assistance (AMERA). Prior to moving to Egypt, she worked at the Immigrant Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey and also served as an Attorney Advisor with the immigration courts of New York City and Los Angeles. 

Eligibility

  • The courses are open to graduate and postgraduate students, researchers, and practitioners working in migration and refugee-related fields.
  • A basic understanding of displacement and migration terminology and context is required.
  • All courses are conducted in person at AUC’s Tahrir campus.
  • Proficiency in English is mandatory since it is the language of instruction, and no interpretation services are available.
  • Courses run from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm (Cairo local time), with a one-hour break.
  • Interested applicants may apply for one or two courses.
  • The minimum number of participants is 12 for each course.

Tuition and Fees

  • The fee for international participants is $500 per course, and for Egyptians and residents of Egypt, it is EGP 5000 per course. The course fee includes all course materials. 
  • Upon successful completion of each course, participants will receive a certificate from CMRS/AUC.
  • Organizations sending five or more staff members to any of the courses will be eligible for a discounted rate. 
  • Unemployed students and independent researchers can apply for a reduced fee or a full waiver by emailing their request to [email protected] after submitting their application.

Application Information

  • The application form can be accessed here.

  • Applicants may apply to and be accepted into all courses.

  • In case of any issues with the application, contact [email protected]