Global Negotiation
Academy
Global Negotiation Academy 2026
Taking place on 6-10 July at the University of Zurich
The Global Negotiation Academy (GNA) is the flagship program of the IGN. It combines a preliminary online component, starting in June 2026, leading up to an in-person program held in Zurich that brings together a selective international cohort for intensive engagement with negotiation in international affairs. The Academy focuses on negotiation strategy, process, and decision-making in complex, multi-actor environments, with an emphasis on applied learning and exchange. Since 2014, the Academy has convened participants in Switzerland for focused, practice-oriented work on contemporary negotiation challenges.
Each year, the Academy culminates in a multilateral negotiation simulation built around a globally relevant geopolitical topic. The 2026 simulation theme is Multilateral Cooperation for Global Health Resilience, informed by recent global health crises and the negotiation of the WHO Pandemic Agreement (2025). During the simulation, participants represent member states in a multilateral negotiation setting.
Program Overview
The Global Negotiation Academy includes a preliminary online component starting in June 2026 followed by an in-person program taking place in Zurich, Switzerland which combines:
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Practitioner-led sessions with invited speakers sharing applied experience
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Interactive discussions focused on negotiation concepts, strategy, and practical skills
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A final-day multilateral negotiation simulation, in which participants represent states and engage in negotiations reflecting real-world political and institutional dynamics. Under the 2026 theme “Multilateral Cooperation for Global Health Resilience", the high-level negotiation simulation engages participants in shaping inclusive, consensus-based frameworks for global health security.
Team
Shontaye Abegaz
Project Lead
Philip Afran Gaisie
GNA Team
Charlotte Zimmermann
GNA Team
Meryem Gumus
GNA Team
Partners & Sponsors
The Global Negotiation Academy is made possible with the generous support of our sponsors and partners.
We thank them for their contributions, their trust, and for believing in our mission to promote negotiation skills to enable young people to address the complex global challenges of our time.
Past Editions
The Global Negotiation Academy was originally founded out of the International Negotiations seminar at the University of Bern where it was held as the 'Global Negotiation Conference' from 2014-2017. The event was then hosted by the Chair of Negotiation and Conflict Management at ETH Zurich 2018-2019 and since 2020 has been hosted by the Chair of Political Philosophy and the Chair of International Relations and Political Economy at the University of Zurich. In 2026, the GNC was renamed as the Global Negotiation Academy to more accurately reflect the interactive and practice focused nature of the program.
