European Center for Peace and Development

What European Center for Peace and Development does

The European Center for Peace and Development (ECPD) is an intergovernmental, non-profit educational and research institution established in 1983 under the United Nations University for Peace framework, headquartered in Belgrade, Serbia. It delivers postgraduate programs, international specialist schools, summer schools, seminars, workshops, conferences, and round tables across approximately 15 thematic tracks including peace studies and human rights, healthcare management, national security, counter-terrorism, economic diplomacy, urban and environmental management, and international economics and finance. Programs are nationally accredited by the Health Council of Serbia as International Seminars of the 1st category, conferring continuing education points (14 for lecturers, 7 for participants), and are typically delivered as intensive residential formats in established regional venues in Budva (Montenegro) and Ohrid (North Macedonia).

ECPD's core product is structured, accredited professional education delivered through a network of Academicians, university faculty, and international experts who serve as co-directors of individual schools. Its platform combines downloadable course enrollment forms on the ecpd.org.rs website, official regulatory documents (ECPD Guidelines, Rules for Doctoral and Postgraduate Studies, Harvard referencing system), and published proceedings. The organization operates multi-stakeholder governance through an International Board of Trustees, Honorary Council, Academic Council, and Executive Board led by an Executive Director (Academician Negoslav Ostojić).

The business model is a non-tuition-publishing hybrid typical of UN-affiliated institutions: revenue is not publicly disclosed but is generated through program fees, corporate sponsorships (e.g., ALKALOID d.o.o. Zagreb supported the XVII Addictive Diseases School), institutional partnerships (IMD, UESTC, Serbian Medical Society, Faculty of Medicine University of Belgrade, VAMK, Long Island University, Perdana University), and publishing activities. The customer base spans mid-career professionals and executives, academics and researchers, youth leaders, and healthcare professionals/administrators, with primary geographic concentration in Central and Southeast Europe and an emerging expansion into China via the 2026 IMD/UESTC trilateral partnership.

Name

European Center for Peace and Development

Legal name

European Center for Peace and Development University for Peace established by the United Nations

Website

https://ecpd.org.rs

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ECPD is a UN University for Peace-affiliated non-profit in Belgrade delivering accredited postgraduate programs, summer schools, and specialist courses in peace studies, healthcare management, security, and economics to working professionals across Central and Southeast Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Continuing Professional Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Behavioral Health & Counseling (Social Work, Psychology, Substance Use CE) (EDAAALAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Financial Services & Insurance (FINRA, CFP, IAR, Insurance CE) (EDAAALAJ), Information Security, Privacy & IT Governance (CISSP CPE, Privacy CE) (EDAAALAL)

Keywords

• Postgraduate education
• Professional development training
• Summer school programs
• Specialist medical courses
• Executive education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Belgrade

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ECPD is a UN-affiliated intergovernmental educational institution that delivers postgraduate degree programs, international summer schools, specialist schools, accredited seminars, and conferences in fields such as peace studies, healthcare management, security studies, economics, and human rights. Programs are nationally and internationally accredited (Health Council of Serbia International Seminars Category 1) and delivered primarily as residential intensives in Central and Southeast Europe. The institution also publishes academic guidelines and regulatory documents for its doctoral and postgraduate studies.

Product overview

The European Center for Peace and Development (ECPD) is an educational institution established by the United Nations University for Peace. It offers a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs including MBA and management programs (ECPD MBA International School, ECPD International School of Management), specialized UPEACE programs covering areas such as Global Health Development, International Economics, National Security, Urban and Environmental Management, Peace Studies, Strategic Risk Management, and Economic Diplomacy, as well as professional development offerings through International Specialist Courses, Specialist Schools, and Summer Schools. The organization also facilitates conferences, scientific meetings, round tables, and publishes academic guidelines and regulatory documents for its doctoral and postgraduate programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ECPD MBA International School
• ECPD International School of Management Comprehensive management education program within the ECPD network covering international management topics for mid-career professionals.
• ECPD UPEACE Specialized Postgraduate Programs A family of 13 ECPD UPEACE specialized postgraduate programs covering Global Financial Data Management, Global Health Development, International Economics Finance and Banking, National Security Affairs, Technology of Solving Development Problems, Urban and Environmental Management, Security and Terrorism, Contemporary Intelligence Studies, Peace Studies Human Rights and Human Security, Strategic Risk and Crisis Management, Economic Diplomacy, and Violent Extremism and Radicalization.
• International Summer School Seasonal intensive summer school program covering various professional topics including healthcare management and cardiovascular diseases, delivered as residential intensives at regional venues.
• International Specialist School Intensive specialist school program for professional development, including programs on addictive diseases accredited by the Health Council of Serbia.
• International Specialist Course Specialized professional short course offered by ECPD for focused skill development in specific professional domains.
• Global Youth Forum Global forum for youth engagement, leadership development, peacebuilding, and global dialogue targeting young leaders internationally.
• International Conferences, Scientific Meetings and Round Tables International conferences, scientific meetings, and round table discussions organized by ECPD for academic exchange and knowledge dissemination on specialized topics.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability8 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IMD (International Management Development)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2026As an officially contracted partner of ECPD, IMD will join hands with the Hospital Management and Development Center of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC) and other Chinese medical academic institutions to implement high-end hospital management training programs starting July 2026. This initiative promotes exchange of experience and sharing of expertise between Chinese and international healthcare management.
• University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2026UESTC's Hospital Management and Development Center collaborates with IMD and ECPD to implement high-end hospital management training programs as part of the ECPD UPEACE Global Health Development initiative.
• Perdana UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerECPD has established partnership with Perdana University as evidenced by joint promotional materials (fliers) shared on the ECPD website.
• ALKALOID d.o.o. ZagrebminorOthersALKALOID d.o.o. Zagreb, Croatia, provided significant support for the XVII ECPD International Specialist School on Addictive Diseases. Company representatives held a presentation on 'Addictive Diseases – Pharmacotherapeutic Options and Clinical Reality: Clinical Experiences with Levomethadone in Croatia.'
• Serbian Medical SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECPD collaborates with the Serbian Medical Society and Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade on healthcare programs. Academician Prof. Dr. Milan Nedeljković serves as President of the Serbian Medical Society and Co-Director of ECPD Schools.
• Faculty of Medical Science University of KragujevacminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as an important link and academic partner institution for ECPD programs.
• VAMK University (Finland)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as an important link and international academic partner institution.
• Long Island University (LIU)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as an important link and international academic partner institution.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• INSEAD: Global business school offering MBA and executive education programs including healthcare management tracks. Comparable in the MBA International School and International School of Management segments ECPD operates, though at a much larger scale.
• Sciences Po: French university specializing in social sciences, policy, and international affairs with executive education programs in security, economics, and governance. Comparable in postgraduate/continuing education programs spanning peace studies, human rights, and economic diplomacy.
• United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR): UN-affiliated training institution offering professional development, postgraduate diplomas, and short courses in peace, diplomacy, and governance. Comparable as a UN-system provider of continuing professional education to working professionals and government officials across multiple regions.
• United Nations University for Peace (UPEACE): Parent institution of ECPD and a global provider of postgraduate education and research in peace, security, and development. Directly comparable as a UN-mandated academic body delivering accredited programs with similar subject matter and credentialing model.

Direct peers

• Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP): Foundation-based institution offering executive education courses in security policy, diplomacy, and crisis management. Comparable in the niche of postgraduate professional training for security and policy practitioners with international faculty and conference-driven delivery.
• International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS): UK-based institute providing strategic studies education, conferences, and professional training for security and defense professionals. Comparable in subject matter (security, terrorism, violent extremism) and conference/seminar delivery format targeting government and military professionals.
• IMD (International Institute for Management Development): Swiss-based executive education and MBA provider; an officially contracted strategic partner of ECPD for joint healthcare management training programs. Directly comparable in executive education delivery model, faculty-led intensive program format, and target audience of mid-career professionals.
• Diplomatic Academy of Vienna: Austrian postgraduate institution providing training for diplomats and professionals in international relations, security, and economic diplomacy. Directly comparable in postgraduate professional training for diplomats and security practitioners across Europe.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about European Center for Peace and Development