If you are curious, motivated and looking for a training program which challenges you to engage innovatively with social issues, C4SI is the right program for you. C4SI offers: Connecting graduate students from diverse disciplines, universities and countries; Learning from skilled and experienced professionals; Exciting insights into the work of international organisations and NGOs; Amazing opportunities for networking with organisations and mentors; Applying your academic and professional knowledge to real-life challenges; Encouraging creativity and an innovative spirit to break out of existing molds; A fun, friendly, and dynamic atmosphere!

Applications to C4SI are open to all Masters, PhD students and young professionals who have graduated within the previous 6 months. All universities and fields of study are welcome. Applicants based outside of Geneva may request funding for travel costs as part of their application. However, we cannot promise to fund all participants.

C4SI is a two-month program which requires participant's commitment to be involved: workshops take place every second Saturday (full day) and teams also need to work in-between (aprox. 3 hours per week). We encourage you to check the curriculum before applying and save the dates!

There is no fee, all activities included are free of charge.

Your application will be reviewed by our C4SI team and candidates will be selected based on their demonstrated interest in social innovation and impact, seeking to enhance variety within our cohorts. The selection process finishes close to the start of the program, so make sure to confirm your participation before the informed deadline!

Challenges are assigned to participants by the C4SI team according to the interests they expressed in the application. We follow a semi-organic process of team formation, which aims to match people according to their passions and interests, but at the same time seeks to ensure that teams are interdisciplinary. Your challenge and team will be revealed to you at our Kick-Off day.

Given the unprecedented situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we have decided to host the program entirely online, with the Demo Day potentially in a hybrid format, if possible. This means you can participate in C4SI even if you are not in Geneva!

Teams should arrange meetings at a place and time that works best for them. Requests for working spaces in Maison de la Paix are subject to availability. We encourage teams to organize virtual meetings in order to collaborate with participants from outside Geneva.

Participants are expected to attend all workshops and collaborate with their teams in developing a solution to their challenge. On Demo Day, we will evaluate the teams and their solutions based on their overall process, presentation, feasibility and innovation. Our jury members have vast experience in social innovation and development issues.

You will receive a certificate at the end of the program provided you fulfil the attendance requirements.

Academic accreditation is not available.

All sessions and workshops will be conducted in English.