Graduate Institute Student Association

What Graduate Institute Student Association does

The Graduate Institute Student Association (GISA) is the official, democratically-elected student government representing all master's and doctoral students at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID) in Geneva, Switzerland. The organization serves approximately 1,000 students from over 100 countries across programmes including Anthropology & Sociology, International History & Politics, International Economics, International Law, International Relations/Political Science, and MINT specializations. GISA operates through three structural layers: an 18-member Executive Board of elected and appointed student positions (all unpaid/voluntary), three specialized committees (Environmental, Professional Development, Welfare), and 20+ student-led initiatives covering topics from peacebuilding to impact investing.

GISA's core products and services include the ourgisa.com website portal (built on Squarespace), a class representative system spanning every academic programme, a transparency portal with publicly accessible board minutes and budgets, the TEDxGVAGrad licensed event, student advocacy services including the Assistants' Association (ADA), and a student resources hub for emergency, health, and welfare information. Underlying technology is minimal: Google Forms handle administrative workflows (reimbursement requests, initiative applications, room bookings), Google Drive manages documents, and CISCO Webex supports remote meetings. There is no proprietary software, no API, and no mobile application.

The business model is non-commercial. GISA does not charge students directly and has no pricing model; all enrolled IHEID students are automatic members. Funding derives from student activity fees allocated as part of IHEID tuition, with the organization managing an annual budget to disburse to student initiatives, committees, and events. Revenue is not generated through sales of goods or services, and there are no investors, funding rounds, or external ownership stakes. GISA functions as a member-funded association with transparent governance, holding weekly open board meetings and annual General Assemblies for major decisions.

Name

Graduate Institute Student Association

Legal name

Graduate Institute Student Association

Website

https://ourgisa.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Graduate Institute Student Association (GISA) is the democratically-elected student government at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID) in Geneva, serving roughly 1,000 master's and PhD students through governance, advocacy, welfare support, professional development, and 20+ student initiatives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Association Services

NAICS

Administration of Education Programs (923110)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDALANAE

International Student Academic & Personal Support (case management, referrals)

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/International Student Services & Immigration Support

SECONDARYEDALANAC

International Student Orientation & Transition Programs

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/International Student Services & Immigration Support

SECONDARYEDADAHAL

International Student Funding & Mobility Grants Administration

Education/Education Administration, Accreditation & Policy/Education Funding, Grants & Financial Aid Administration

Keywords

• Student governance
• Student advocacy
• Welfare services
• Professional development
• Student initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Geneva

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Student Activity Fees Allocation: GISA receives funding from student fees as part of tuition/Institute charges, distributed to support student initiatives, specialized committees, events, and operational activities. The organization manages an annual budget with transparency to the student body.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

GISA is the official, democratically-elected student government at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID) in Geneva, representing all master's and PhD students. It provides student representation, welfare and mental health support, professional development programming, environmental sustainability initiatives, cultural and social activities, funding for student-led initiatives, a class representative system, and advocacy through solidarity statements and institutional governance participation.

Product overview

The Graduate Institute Student Association (GISA) is a student organization at the International Health and Development Studies Graduate Institute (IHEID) in Geneva. GISA does not offer a technology product in the traditional SaaS sense; rather, it provides a website portal and student services including a student initiatives program (supporting clubs like TEDxGVAGrad, Peacebuilding Initiative, Gender Peace and Security Coalition, and 20+ others), three specialized committees (Environmental, Professional Development, and Welfare), a class representative system across all academic programs, a transparency portal with open board meetings, student advocacy services, and a comprehensive student resources hub. The website is built on Squarespace and serves as the central information hub for the student body.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GISA Board: The elected executive board that manages GISA operations
• Environmental Committee
• Professional Development Committee
• Welfare Committee
• Student Initiatives

Products and services

• GISA Website Portal The main website portal serving as the central hub for the Graduate Institute Student Association, providing information about student initiatives, committees, resources, advocacy, events, and governance for IHEID students.
• Student Initiatives Program A program enabling students to form and coordinate clubs and organizations, with annual budget requests to GISA for funding events, websites, promotions, and organizational goals. Includes 20+ student-led initiatives covering diverse topics.
• Specialized Committees Three specialized committees under GISA: Environmental Committee (sustainability advocacy, founded 2010), Professional Development Committee (career workshops and events), and Welfare Committee (student mental health and well-being support).
• Class Representative System A representative system providing student liaisons across all Master's programs and PhD departments, facilitating communication between students and the GISA board.
• Transparency Portal Public access to GISA board meeting minutes, agendas, expenses, and budget documentation, with open board meetings held weekly at room S12.
• TEDxGVAGrad Licensed TEDx event organization bringing together Geneva's academic and non-academic communities to share diverse perspectives on contemporary global issues.
• Student Advocacy Services Advocacy services including solidarity statements, support for teaching and research assistants through the Assistants' Association (ADA), and representation in institutional governance.
• Student Resources Hub Centralized resource hub providing emergency contacts, health and well-being services, tax filing guidance, new student guides, and event booking links for IHEID students.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 1,000 students from over 100 countries represented
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered significant, formal, core, external and initiative.

• Syndicat Interprofessionnel des Travailleuses et Travailleurs (SIT)significantStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince April 2022, ADA (Assistants' Association) collaborates with SIT to advocate for better contractual conditions for teaching and research assistants. SIT is a Swiss labor union that supports ADA's efforts in negotiations with the Institute's Direction regarding salary, contracts, and working conditions.
• Collège des enseignantsformalStrategic or Co-development PartnerADA has observer status in the Collège des enseignants (Teachers' College), allowing teaching assistants and research assistants representation in academic governance discussions and decisions affecting their roles.
• Feminist CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint initiative partner for the Welcome Back Packet. GISA Board collaborates with Feminist Collective and QISA on creating resources for the IHEID community, particularly focused on creating a safer, more inclusive environment.
• Queer International Student Assembly (QISA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint initiative partner for the Welcome Back Packet. QISA works with GISA Board and Feminist Collective to support the IHEID community, particularly regarding LGBTQ+ inclusion and student welfare.
• Swiss Network of Female HistoriansexternalGTM or Marketing PartnerGISA Communications Director posts information on behalf of the Swiss Network of Female Historians' Unconference event, helping promote events relevant to history students at IHEID.
• NORRAG and UNESCO Chair in Comparative Education PolicyexternalGTM or Marketing PartnerGISA Communications Director posts on behalf of NORRAG and UNESCO Chair in Comparative Education Policy to promote webinar series hosted at the Geneva Graduate Institute, featuring guest speakers for the IHEID community.
• International Labour Organization (ILO)externalGTM or Marketing PartnerGISA Communications Director posts on behalf of the ILO regarding the Vision Zero Fund Forum event, helping promote occupational safety and health events to IHEID students.
• UNFPA Representation Office in GenevaexternalGTM or Marketing PartnerGISA Communications Director posts on behalf of UNFPA regarding the launch of the State of World Population 2024 Report, promoting UN events to the IHEID student body.
• Prix Les Galets du RhôneexternalGTM or Marketing PartnerGISA Communications Director posts information about the Prix Les Galets du Rhône competition for young entrepreneurs, promoting opportunities for Graduate Institute students.
• Rare Voices in EconomicsinitiativeStrategic or Co-development PartnerRare Voices in Economics is an association that organizes conferences at the Geneva Graduate Institute. GISA supports this initiative by posting announcements and helping recruit student participants for the annual conference.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• LSE Students' Union: Student union at the London School of Economics, a similarly large, internationally-focused graduate and undergraduate institution. Broader in scope (UG + PG) but offers a directly comparable model of elected student government, welfare, and advocacy for an international student body.
• Oxford Graduate Student Union (Oxford SU): Student union representing Oxford University including substantial graduate membership. Operates with elected leadership, welfare services, and advocacy — comparable democratic governance structure for an international academic community.
• Harvard Kennedy School Student Government: Student governance at Harvard Kennedy School, a peer institution in public policy and international affairs with an international cohort. Larger and better-resourced, but a directly comparable model of elected board, committees, and policy advocacy.

Direct peers

• SAIS Student Association (JHU): Student government at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, the closest peer institution to IHEID — both elite graduate-only schools focused on international affairs, diplomacy, and development in major diplomatic host cities (Geneva and Washington, D.C.). Highly comparable in mission, student profile, and small specialized cohort.
• SOAS Students' Union: Student union at SOAS University of London, focused on Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, with a similarly international and graduate-heavy student body engaged in development and human rights issues — closely paralleling IHEID's mission.
• Sciences Po Student Union (UNEF-Sciences Po): Student union at Sciences Po Paris, a peer institution in international affairs and social sciences with a comparable international cohort. Operates with similar committee structures and advocacy positioning on social and political issues relevant to students.

Others

• Geneva Graduate Institute (IHEID) Faculty & Staff Association: The same institution's parallel staff/faculty association; comparable in scope and proximity (same campus, same funding model), but serves a different constituency and represents the staff side of the IHEID governance ecosystem that GISA interfaces with.

Regional players

• University of Geneva (UNIGE) Student Associations: Student associations at UNIGE, the host university that GISA has solidarity-stated with. Operates in the same Geneva ecosystem with comparable functions, but serves a much larger and more diverse (UG + PG) student body than GISA's graduate-only mandate.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/iheid_ec
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/graduate-institute-student-association
• Instagraminstagram.com/our.gisa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Graduate Institute Student Association