The Geneva Academy PhD Forum in International Law International Institutions and Actors, Accountability, Governance in a Globalized World

2 June 2025

Tihao Zeng, Teaching Assistant at the Geneva Academy

Call for contributions

We invite contributions examining the evolving role of international institutions and entities-broadly understood to include intergovernmental organizations, non-State actors and multinational corporations-in exercising power, shaping governance, and influencing international legal frameworks.

UN Security Council sanctions, imposing targeted measures on individuals and entities but raising serious concerns over due process and human rights protection, as well as UN-administered peacekeeping missions and territorial administration (such as in Kosovo and East Timor), highlight the complex legal accountability of international organizations. Moreover, multilateral development bank-financed projects significantly affect the human rights of local populations and indigenous communities, while INTERPOL's information processing has raised legal concerns regarding due process and the potential for politically motivated abuses. These entities wield vast power, often with limited mechanisms for checks and balances. At the same time, the rising number of cases against international organizations before domestic and regional courts calls into question their jurisdictional immunity. Public-private partnerships involving private actors and international institutions further blur accountability, as non-state actors assume quasi-governmental roles in global governance. Additionally, multinational corporations play an increasingly significant role in global governance, particularly in areas such as climate change, environmental governance, data privacy, space exploration, public health, and vaccine distribution.

We seek to foster discussions on the interaction between international institutions and legal frameworks, including international humanitarian law, human rights law, international criminal law, transitional justice, and refugee law. As international institutions expand their authority, their decisions increasingly intersect with these legal frameworks, raising pressing questions about compliance, legitimacy, and enforcement. The role of international organizations in post-conflict transitional justice, the obligations of international organizations and multinational corporations under human rights law, and the application of international humanitarian law in peacekeeping operations highlight the legal complexities at play. Similarly, the evolving role and responsibilities of international institutions in refugee protection and migration governance, underscore the need for further examination.

Submission guidelines

To be considered, please send an abstract of no more than 300 words to tihao.zeng(at)geneva-academy(dot)ch by 24 April 2025 (23:59 Swiss time-CEST).

The following information should be included with your abstract: your name, affiliation, email address, and curriculum vitae.

Selected researchers will be notified by 27 April 2025 and will need to submit a paper or detailed plan of 10 to 20 pages maximum by 12 May 2025.

The PhD Forum will be bilingual; candidates can submit their proposal in English or French and speak either language.

Please contact tihao.zeng(at)geneva-academy(dot)ch with any questions.

About the PhD Forum

The Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights ('Geneva Academy') and the Conférence universitaire de Suisse occidentale ('CUSO') are delighted to announce a call for proposals for the Geneva Academy PhD Forum ('PhD Forum'), which is an annual one-day event designed for registered PhD candidates in international law based in Geneva and other institutions of CUSO. The PhD Forum provides an opportunity for PhD candidates to present and to receive feedbacks from their peers and experts in international law.

Genève (Villa Moynier)

Topic: International Institutions and Entities, Accountability, Governance in a Globalized World

We invite contributions examining the evolving role of international institutions and entities-broadly understood to include intergovernmental organizations, non-State actors and multinational corporations-in exercising power, shaping governance, and influencing international legal frameworks.

From UN Security Council sanctions, which impose targeted measures on individuals and entities but raise serious concerns over due process and human rights, to UN-administered peacekeeping missions and territorial administration, such as in Kosovo and East Timor, these cases highlight the complex legal accountability of international actors. Multilateral development bank-financed projects significantly affect the human rights of local populations and indigenous communities, while INTERPOL's information processing has raised legal concerns regarding due process and the potential for politically motivated abuses. These entities wield vast power, often with limited mechanisms for checks and balances. At the same time, the rising number of cases against international organizations before domestic and regional courts calls into question their jurisdictional immunity. Public-private partnerships involving international institutions further blur accountability, as non-state actors assume quasi-governmental roles in global governance. Additionally, multinational corporations play an increasingly significant role in global governance, particularly in areas such as climate change, environmental governance, data privacy, space exploration, public health, and vaccine distribution.

We seek discussions on these phenomena as well as the broader interaction between international institutions and legal frameworks, including international humanitarian law, human rights law, international criminal law, transitional justice, and refugee law. As international institutions expand their authority, their decisions increasingly intersect with these legal frameworks, raising pressing questions about compliance, legitimacy, and enforcement. The role of international organizations in post-conflict transitional justice, the obligations of international organizations and multinational corporations under human rights law, and the application of international humanitarian law in peacekeeping operations highlight the legal complexities at play. Similarly, the evolving role and responsibilities of international institutions in refugee protection and migration governance, underscore the need for further examination.

Submission guidelines

To be considered, please send an abstract of no more than 300 words to tihao.zeng(at)geneva-academy(dot)ch by 24 April 2025 (23:59 Swiss time-CEST).

The following information should be included with your abstract: your name, affiliation, email address, and curriculum vitae.

Selected researchers will be notified by 27 April 2025 and will need to submit a paper or detailed plan of 10 to 20 pages maximum by 12 May 2025.

The PhD Forum will be bilingual; candidates can submit their proposal in English or French and speak either language.

Please contact tihao.zeng(at)geneva-academy(dot)ch with any questions.

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Mr. Tihao Zeng

Email: [email protected]