What Academy for Conflict Transformation does

The Academy for Conflict Transformation (Akademie für Konflikttransformation) is the training arm of the German non-profit association Forum Ziviler Friedensdienst e. V., operating under the brand Pro Peace. Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Cologne, the organization delivers professional training and certification programs in civil conflict transformation and peacebuilding, including a part-time blended-learning qualification course in Friedens- und Konfliktarbeit, a full-time qualification course, and a rotating catalogue of specialist short seminars covering topics such as Dealing with the Past, Climate-Sensitive Peacebuilding, and the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus. Programs are delivered via Zoom or BigBlueButton for online sessions, in-person seminars at the Jugendakademie Walberberg between Cologne and Bonn, and an internal proprietary E-Learning platform for self-paced components; the public website runs on Drupal 10 with Matomo analytics.

The Academy serves peacebuilding and development practitioners, career changers entering the conflict transformation profession, German municipalities seeking conflict competence training, and tailor-made training clients — with an alumni network exceeding 4,000 graduates working in fragile and conflict-affected contexts worldwide. The go-to-market is sales-led through its website, social channels (Facebook, YouTube, Mastodon, Instagram, LinkedIn), newsletter, alumni referrals, and the Civil Peace Service (Ziviler Friedensdienst) network.

The business model rests on two revenue streams: participation fees for training courses (350–500 EUR per short seminar; 3,000 EUR for the part-time course, paid in three installments) and, more substantially, subsidies from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), which covers the majority of actual program costs. The organization explicitly states it cannot offer discounts or scholarships and that fees cover only a small portion of true costs, indicating a subsidy-heavy operating model with limited fee revenue and critical single-funder concentration risk on the BMZ side.

Name

Academy for Conflict Transformation

Legal name

Forum Ziviler Friedensdienst e. V.

Website

https://akademie.propeace.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Academy for Conflict Transformation is the Pro Peace / Forum Ziviler Friedensdienst e. V. training arm in Cologne, Germany, delivering professional certificate courses and specialist seminars in civil conflict transformation and peacebuilding to practitioners, career changers, and municipalities globally, supported by a 4,000+ alumni network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation Training

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Online/Hybrid Lifelong Learning Platforms & Open Enrollment Programs (EDAAAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Virtual/Hybrid International Short-Term Academic Programs (EDAIAIAL)

Keywords

• Conflict transformation training
• Peacebuilding education
• Civil peace service
• Conflict sensitivity training
• Peace work certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Cologne

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Training and Seminar Fees: Revenue is generated through participation fees for training courses and seminars. Fees vary by program: short seminars range from 350-500 EUR, while the comprehensive part-time course in Friedens- und Konfliktarbeit costs 3,000 EUR paid in three installments. Many programs offer early bird discounts. Training fees are largely subsidized by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Academy for Conflict Transformation delivers professional training courses and seminars in civil conflict transformation and peacebuilding for peacebuilding practitioners and career changers. Its core offerings are a part-time blended learning professional development course in Peace and Conflict Work (Friedens- und Konfliktarbeit) and a full-time qualification course, supplemented by a catalogue of specialist online seminars on topics such as Dealing with the Past, Climate-Sensitive Peacebuilding, and the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus and Conflict Sensitivity. Programs are delivered in German and English through a combination of in-person seminars at the Jugendakademie Walberberg and online live sessions supported by a proprietary E-Learning platform.

Product overview

The Academy for Conflict Transformation (Akademie für Konflikttransformation), operating under the name Pro Peace, offers a portfolio of professional training programmes and seminars in civil conflict transformation and peacebuilding. The core offerings include a part-time blended learning Professional Development Course in Peace and Conflict Work (Friedens- und Konfliktarbeit) combining in-person seminars at the Jugendakademie Walberberg with online E-Learning phases, and a full-time qualification course. The seminar catalogue includes specialist short courses such as Dealing with the Past, Climate-Sensitive Peacebuilding, and the Humanitarian–Development–Peace Nexus and Conflict Sensitivity seminar — all delivered online with live interactive sessions. Supplementary offerings include an Orientation Seminar, Tailor-Made Trainings, and Municipality-Based Trainings for local government actors. Supporting platforms include an internal E-Learning platform for course delivery and an online Complaints Platform for misconduct and data protection reporting.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Friedens- und Konfliktarbeit (Part-Time Professional Development Course) 2027 A part-time blended learning professional development course in peace and conflict work spanning February to November 2027, combining six in-person seminars at Jugendakademie Walberberg between Cologne and Bonn with online self-study phases on the E-Learning platform. Weekly workload is approximately 10 hours during online phases. Total fee is EUR 3,000 paid in three installments of EUR 1,000 each; catering included during in-person seminars, travel and accommodation not included. Designed for professionals seeking recognized certification in civil conflict transformation.
• Dealing with the Past Seminar A seven-week online seminar introducing Dealing with the Past (DwP) frameworks as a component of conflict transformation, collective memory, and trauma work. Conducted via live sessions every Tuesday (13:00-15:00 CEST) from 8 September to 20 October 2026, combining theoretical foundations with practical tools and participatory learning. Maximum 20 participants. Early bird fee EUR 450 (until 14 July 2026); regular fee EUR 500 (tax-exempt).
• Climate-Sensitive Peacebuilding Seminar An online training integrating climate awareness into peace practice, exploring intersections of climate change, conflict, and fragility. Four live Monday sessions from 21 September to 12 October 2026 (13:00-17:00 CEST), with individual and collaborative development of a climate-sensitive conflict analysis. Early bird fee EUR 315 (until 27 July 2026); regular fee EUR 350 (tax-exempt). Includes online live sessions, course materials, and certificate upon completion.
• Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus and Conflict Sensitivity Seminar An online seminar equipping participants with practical tools to apply conflict-sensitive Do-No-Harm lens and identify entry points for peace-responsive action within the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus. Seven live Monday sessions from 19 October to 30 November 2026. Maximum 20 participants. Early bird fee EUR 450 (until 24 August 2026); regular fee EUR 500 (tax-exempt).
• Full-Time Qualification Course in Peace and Conflict Work A full-time intensive training course in peace and conflict work, previously offered as a qualification course at the Academy for Conflict Transformation. Alumni testimonials reference participation in 2013, 2015, and 2018 cohorts. Designed for practitioners seeking comprehensive training in civil conflict transformation.
• Orientation Seminar An introductory seminar (only available in German) designed to help prospective participants determine which training programme best suits their needs. Recommended as a first step before applying or registering for the longer qualification or part-time courses.
• Tailor-Made Trainings Customised training programmes designed and delivered on request to meet specific organisational needs, in addition to the standard course catalogue. Delivered on-demand for organizations seeking bespoke conflict transformation or peacebuilding capacity building.
• Municipality-Based Trainings (Fortbildung Konfliktkompetenz im kommunalen Raum) Training programmes focused on conflict competence specifically designed for municipal-level actors, helping local government staff understand and manage conflicts arising from societal change processes. Targeted at German municipalities seeking conflict competence training for staff and officials.

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ziviler Friedensdienst (Civil Peace Service)coreOthersThe Academy is a core component of the Civil Peace Service network. Certificates are recognized by all sending organizations within this network. The organization advocates for the Civil Peace Service as part of its mission.
• Initiative Transparente ZivilgesellschaftminorOthersThe Academy participates in the Initiative for Transparent Civil Society, demonstrating commitment to transparency and good governance practices.
• Plattform Zivile Konfliktbearbeitung (PZK)minorOthersMembership in the Platform for Civil Conflict Management, a network of German organizations working in peacebuilding and conflict transformation.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Peace Direct: International NGO that supports local peacebuilders and offers learning and capacity-building resources. Overlaps with the Academy's mission to train and equip peace practitioners, though operating more as an enabling/funding organization.
• Conciliation Resources: International peacebuilding NGO focused on peace processes, dialogue, and learning, with explicit learning and training offerings for peace practitioners. Comparable in thematic focus and target audience, though larger and more program-delivery oriented.
• International Alert: Major international peacebuilding NGO working on conflict transformation globally with training and policy engagement components. Broader mission and larger scale than the Academy, but overlapping practitioner audience in peace and security sectors.
• Search for Common Ground: Largest dedicated international peacebuilding NGO with offices in 30+ countries. While primarily a program implementer rather than training provider, it operates capacity-building programs and trainings that overlap with the Academy's target audience and curriculum topics.
• United States Institute of Peace (USIP): US federal institution offering extensive training programs, certificates, and online courses in conflict analysis and peacebuilding. Much larger and broader scope than the Academy, but directly comparable as a flagship peacebuilding training provider.

Direct peers

• INTRAC (International NGO Training and Research Centre): UK-based organization providing training and consultancy for civil society and NGO practitioners, including courses in conflict sensitivity and peace programming. Comparable as a training-focused non-profit serving development and peacebuilding professionals.
• Austrian Study Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution (ASPR / Burg Schlaining): Austrian non-profit offering peace education and conflict transformation training at Burg Schlaining, with a long history of professional training programs for peace practitioners across Europe and international audiences.
• Clingendael Institute: Dutch institute offering professional training courses in conflict analysis, peacebuilding, and security policy. Direct peer in the European professional peacebuilding training space with similar target audience of practitioners and policy professionals.
• swisspeace: Swiss foundation associated with the University of Basel that conducts research and offers training in peacebuilding and conflict transformation. Direct peer offering similar continuing education programs for peace practitioners in the German-speaking market with international reach.
• Berghof Foundation: Germany-based peacebuilding research and training organization that offers professional development programs in conflict transformation. Operates with similar non-profit/government-funded model and trains the same practitioner audience in Germany and internationally.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@propeace_ngo
• Facebookfacebook.com/propeace.ngo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/academy-for-conflict-transformation
• Instagraminstagram.com/propeace_ngo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Academy for Conflict Transformation