UWC short courses take UWC’s mission and values to a wider audience and are a fundamental part of UWC’s outreach work. Each year schools, colleges, national committees and alumni groups are motivated to organise short programmes in a variety of locations. The programmes bring together diverse groups of young people from different socio-economic, cultural, racial and religious backgrounds, whether from a single country or from across the world.

Many UWC short programmes take the form of youth leadership summits and other programmes focus on tensions in particular communities, environmental issues, cultural understanding, or the development needs of the host country.

Through living together and participating in workshops, discussions, community service and personal projects, many more young people enjoy the UWC experience and are empowered to effect change in their communities and beyond. 

Application criteria vary depending on the programme. Irish students have attended short courses in Israel, Croatia, France and India. In early 2012, an Irish student attended a short course in Swaziland, in southern Africa, for the first time. In 2013, three Irish students participated in a short course in Freiburg, Germany, entitled 'Taking Responsibility: Reducing my footprint on the world'. Students were encouraged to develop their own visions and actual plans for shaping a sustainable future and, as Freiburg is the Environment Capital of Germany, it could not have been a more apt setting!

Please note that short courses are only awarded to students who have applied for two-year scholarship programmes and who display a commitment to the UWC movement.

Visit https://uwc.org/short-courses or email  info@ie.uwc.org for more information.