Master in Intercultural Competence in Mediation, Counseling and Conflict Management at the University of Verona
Do you want to specialize in intercultural mediation and conflict management?
Discover the new Master from the Intercultural Studies Center at the University of Verona.
An online, flexible program designed for a global audience, culminating in a one-week intensive seminar in the heart of Verona, Italy.
If you are looking for a university Master that will empower you to excel in mediation, intercultural communication, and conflict management, look no further than the Master in Intercultural Competence in Mediation, Counseling and Conflict Management.
This Master will take place during for the 2025-2026 academic year and is organized by the renowned Intercultural Studies Center (Department of Human Sciences) at the University of Verona, building on over two decades of experience in delivering high-quality postgraduate education.
For years, our programs have blended academic rigor with practical, experiential learning.
This Master is delivered primarily online to offer maximum flexibility, but it is complemented by a mandatory one-week workshop seminar in Verona (Italy, 60 miles from Venice).
This intensive, hands-on week is scheduled well in advance, allowing you to comfortably arrange your travel and accommodation.
We understand that a Master is a significant investment of your time, energy, and resources. It deserves your full attention.
That’s why we have crafted a flexible online formula, allowing you to enhance your professional skills while balancing your current job and family commitments.
Master in Intercultural Competence in Mediation, Counseling and Conflict Management
The first-level online university Master in Intercultural Competence in Mediation, Counseling and Conflict Management, directed by Professor Agostino Portera, is a blended-learning course of higher university education.
It combines online modules with a one-week workshop seminar in Verona, focusing on mediation, intercultural communication, and conflict management.
The course is taught entirely in English, and is open to students from all over the world.
Each year we commit to providing cutting-edge education in intercultural studies, and this new program represents the latest evolution of said commitment.
The program’s structure is designed for modern professionals.
The distance learning component allows you to study from anywhere in the world, fitting your education around your personal and professional life.
The course utilizes our Moodle e-learning platform, where you will find all study materials, including articles, slide presentations, audio, and video content.
Why this Master? Seven Key Reasons to Join Our Program
Why should you enroll in this Master? Because the advanced university education it provides will enable you to achieve:
- Cultural growth: benefit from the academic excellence of a prestigious, historic Italian university.
- Advanced professional training: gain specialized skills in the field of mediation and intercultural studies.
- Practical skills: master the techniques of mediation, communication, and conflict management.
- Personal growth: this field of study will change the way you see the world and relate to others.
- Professional retraining: requalify your professional profile and open doors to new opportunities.
- New professional opportunities: develop specific knowledge applicable to a wide range of organizational contexts.
- Enhanced CV: strengthen your resume for career growth within your current organization or to seek new opportunities.
Moreover, the course is specifically designed for a global audience.
This will ensure that you develop mediation skills applicable across cultures and sectors.
The flexible online-learning format will allow you to study from anywhere in the world, and the immersive one-week seminar in Verona will give you the opportunity to gain hands-on experience.
If you choose to attend this Master, you’ll study within a structured online environment with dedicated tutoring and academic advising to help you pace your learning and integrate it with work and family commitments.
Finally, our Master is taught by university professors and professionals who are experts in pedagogy, psychology, law, communication, and media.
Where this Master takes you
Our Master provides you with the cultural tools, practical skills, and intercultural approach to work in the following sectors:
- School and education
- Companies and businesses (international relations, internal intercultural communication)
- Immigration and cultural diversity
- Social services
- Healthcare
- Legal mediation and justice
- Media and communication (intercultural journalism, European video journalism, social media management in multicultural settings)
The program enables you to specialize, enhance your CV, and provide knowledge and skills that are indispensable in businesses, organizations, and institutions.
However, the Master can be useful also to those who work as freelancers.
It allows you to improve your interpersonal and communication skills, with inevitable benefits for your professional activity.
Who is this Master for?
The Master in Intercultural Competence in Mediation, Counseling and Conflict Management is designed for a diverse, international audience of working professionals and graduates seeking to build or advance a career in mediation.
Our ideal candidates include:
- Bachelor’s degree holders from the United States
- Counselors (students)
- Aspiring and current social workers
- Teachers and educators
- Journalists and communication professionals
- Corporate and nonprofit managers
- Lawyers and legal professionals
- Healthcare professionals (nurses and doctors)
Ready to take the next step?
The Master begins in June 2026 and now enrollment is open. You can apply via the University of Verona admissions portal.
Do you have any questions or want to discuss if this program is the right fit for you? We are here to help.
Contact us to request more information or to schedule a no-obligation online meeting with one of our teachers.
What you’ll learn
The program blends theory and practice across three modules:
Module 1. Globalization and Complex Society
Build the foundations to understand the conditions and critical issues of a globalized society.
Courses:
- General & Social Pedagogy: Globalization and Complex Society (3 credits) – Prof. Agostino Portera
- Anthropology of Migration Processes (2 credits)
- International Law: Migrants’ Rights (2 credits) – Prof. Caterina Fratea
- General and Social Pedagogy: Intercultural Pedagogy (2 credits)
- International Cooperation (2 credits) – Prof. Emanuela Piccolo
- Social Justice & Equity in International Context: Diaspora, Minorities, and Education (2 credits) – Prof. Mousumi Mukherjee
- Modern Language Teaching: Second Language Intruction (3 credits)
Module 2. Intercultural Communication
Learn about conflict management and intercultural communication, skills, and mediation.
Courses:
- General and Social Pedagogy: Intercultural Competences and Cooperative Learning (4 credits) – Prof. Marta Milani
- General and Social Pedagogy: Intercultural Communication and Mediation (4 credits) – Prof. Agostino Portera
- General and Social Pedagogy: Intercultural Media Studies (4 credits) – Prof. Maurizio Corte
- General and Social Pedagogy: Counseling and Conflict Management (3 credits)
- General Psychology: Intercultural Counseling (2 credits)
- General Psycholoy: Identity in Multicultural Contexts (2 credits)
Module 3. Intercultural Mediation and Conflict Management
Turn competencies into action across education, organizations, media, and communities.
Courses:
- Social Psychology: Intercultural Mediation and Conflict Management (3 credits) – Prof. Rose Martin
- General and Social Pedagogy: Intercultural Communication and Mediation in Schools and Training Contexts (3 credits) – Prof. Agostino Portera
- Intercultural Communication and Mediation in Organizations and International Relations (3 credits) – Prof. Cristina Balloi
- General and Social Pedagogy: Intercultural Journalism in the AI Age (3 credits) – Prof. Maurizio Corte
- Intercultural Social Media Management (3 credits) – Prof. Elena Guerra
- Intercultural Communication and Mediation in Heatlhcare and Social Services (2 credits) – Prof. Melissa S. Ockerman
- Art and Interculture (2 credits)
- Intercomprehension (2 credits)
Why study at the University of Verona?
Choosing this Master means choosing Verona, an international city with a rich artistic heritage, where cultural diversity is a hallmark of its identity.
The University of Verona is renowned for its high-quality scientific research, excellent teaching, and comprehensive student services.
As an enrolled student, you will have access to all university facilities, including the University Language Center, libraries, study halls, and canteens.
Verona will also host the final one-week experience-based seminar, where you will engage in intensive workshops, network with peers and faculty from around the globe, and experience firsthand the art, history, and culture of Italy.
Who is this Master for?
The Master in Intercultural Competence in Mediation, Counseling and Conflict Management is designed for a diverse, international audience of working professionals and graduates seeking to build or advance a career in mediation.
Our ideal candidates include:
- Bachelor’s degree holders from the United States
- Counselors (students)
- Aspiring and current social workers
- Teachers and educators
- Journalists and communication professionals
- Corporate and nonprofit managers
- Lawyers and legal professionals
- Healthcare professionals (nurses and doctors)
Ready to take the next step?
The Master begins in June 2026 and now the enrollment is open.
Do you have any questions or want to discuss if this program is the right fit for you? We are here to help.
Contact us to request more information or to schedule a no-obligation online meeting with one of our teachers.
Email: centro.interculturale@ateneo.univr.it
Apply via the University of Verona admissions portal
