Institute for the Study of Human Rights | Columbia University

What Institute for the Study of Human Rights | Columbia University does

The Institute for the Study of Human Rights is a non-profit academic unit within Columbia University, founded in 1978 and headquartered in New York City with offices at The Interchurch Center (61 Claremont Ave) and the Riverside Church tower (91 Claremont Ave). It advances interdisciplinary and critical human rights education, research, and capacity building, serving graduate students, undergraduate students, human rights advocates, and organizations worldwide. The Institute operates within Columbia's institutional infrastructure and does not maintain independent corporate status; its operations are funded through university allocations, external grants, and donor support, with tuition and program fees administered through Columbia's standard academic billing systems.

The Institute's core offerings form an interconnected educational portfolio. The Human Rights Studies M.A. program and the undergraduate Human Rights Major/Minor (including a combined B.A./M.A. track) constitute its core academic products. The Human Rights Advocates Program (HRAP) is the flagship capacity-building initiative, training advocates and connecting them to Columbia resources and networks. Professional credentials include a Graduate Certificate in Human Rights, a Summer Certificate in Professional Achievement in Human Rights, and the Human Rights Training Series. Research is supported through a Visiting Scholars Program and past initiatives including the Alliance for Historical Dialogue and Accountability, the Indigenous Peoples' Rights Program, and the Peace-building and Human Rights Program. The Just Ideas program, a core partnership, integrates academic instruction with the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.

The Institute reaches prospective students, advocates, and the broader public through Columbia University's institutional channels, its own website (humanrights.columbia.edu), an email newsletter, an active presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn, and a calendar of lectures, panels, and exhibitions. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, and no headcount, revenue, or budget figures are available in the source data.

Name

Institute for the Study of Human Rights | Columbia University

Legal name

Institute for the Study of Human Rights

Website

https://humanrightscolumbia.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Institute for the Study of Human Rights is a Columbia University non-profit academic unit, founded in 1978, that delivers interdisciplinary human rights education, research, and advocacy capacity building to graduate students, undergraduates, advocates, and organizations worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education and Human Rights Studies

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHAIAJ

Law School Research Centers & Institutes (e.g., Law & Economics, Human Rights)

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Law Schools

SECONDARYBPADAGAK

Human Rights Monitoring, Documentation & Advocacy

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Human Rights, Democracy & Governance

SECONDARYEDAHABAD

Social Sciences & Public Policy Research Universities

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Private Research Universities

Keywords

• Human rights education
• Interdisciplinary academic research
• Advocacy capacity building
• Graduate human rights studies
• Professional human rights training

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. University Funding & Grants: As an institute within Columbia University, funding comes primarily through university allocations and external grants. The Institute also receives support from donors and organizational backers for specific programs like the Human Rights Advocates Program.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Institute for the Study of Human Rights is an academic unit of Columbia University that delivers interdisciplinary human rights education, research, and advocacy capacity building. It offers graduate and undergraduate degree programs in Human Rights Studies, professional certificates, a Human Rights Training Series, and the flagship Human Rights Advocates Program (HRAP), while supporting visiting scholars, research initiatives, and faculty publications.

Product overview

The Institute for the Study of Human Rights is an academic unit at Columbia University offering an interconnected portfolio of educational programs and research initiatives. The core educational offerings include a Human Rights Studies M.A. program and undergraduate Human Rights Major/Minor with a combined B.A./M.A. option. Professional certifications include Graduate Certificate and Summer Certificate programs, plus the Human Rights Training Series. The flagship Human Rights Advocates Program (HRAP) provides capacity building for advocates and organizations worldwide. Research is supported through visiting scholars and past initiatives including the Alliance for Historical Dialogue and Accountability, Indigenous Peoples' Rights Program, and Peace-building and Human Rights Program. The Student Volunteer Program connects students with community engagement opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Human Rights Advocates Program (HRAP): A capacity building program that trains human rights advocates, connecting them with Columbia University resources and networks.
• Human Rights Training Series
• Alliance for Historical Dialogue and Accountability
• Indigenous Peoples' Rights
• Peace-building and Human Rights (PBHR)

Products and services

• Human Rights Studies M.A. Program Graduate-level interdisciplinary master's degree program in Human Rights Studies providing interdisciplinary and critical human rights education for students pursuing careers in advocacy, research, policy, and academia.
• Undergraduate Studies (Human Rights Major and Minor) Undergraduate programs including a Human Rights Major and a Human Rights Minor, with a combined B.A./M.A. option available, for Columbia undergraduates seeking foundational human rights education.
• Summer Certificate in Professional Achievement in Human Rights Intensive summer certification program for professional achievement in human rights, designed for working professionals and organizations seeking concentrated human rights training.
• Human Rights Training Series Professional training series providing human rights education and capacity building for professionals and organizations seeking specialized training in human rights.
• Human Rights Advocates Program (HRAP) Flagship advocacy program serving students, advocates, and organizations worldwide through intensive capacity building and training, connecting participants with Columbia University resources and networks.
• Visiting Scholars Program Program hosting visiting scholars for research and academic collaboration at the Institute for the Study of Human Rights.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Just IdeascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Just Ideas program is a collaborative initiative supported by the Institute that brings together Columbia professors and interns to teach and learn from occupants of the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC), a maximum security federal prison in Brooklyn. This represents a core educational partnership integrating academic instruction with correctional facility programs.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Amnesty International: A global human rights advocacy organization conducting research, campaigning, and training. Comparable as a broader incumbent in the human rights space overlapping on advocacy, documentation, and capacity-building activities, though focused on NGO operations rather than academic degrees.
• Human Rights Watch: An international human rights research and advocacy organization producing reports and conducting investigations worldwide. Comparable as a broad incumbent covering the same subject matter and sharing audiences with the Institute's research and advocacy focus.

Direct peers

• NYU Center for Human Rights and Global Justice: A research and advocacy center at NYU combining legal scholarship with human rights practice, offering clinics, fellowships, and publications. Directly comparable as a major U.S. university-based human rights research and capacity-building center in close geographic proximity to Columbia.
• Stanford Human Rights Center: An interdisciplinary human rights center at Stanford University supporting research, education, and advocacy initiatives. Directly comparable as a top-tier U.S. university human rights center offering academic programs and convenings.
• University for Peace (UPEACE): A UN-mandated institution offering graduate degrees and certificates in human rights, peace, and conflict resolution. Comparable as a globally-oriented graduate human rights education provider with a strong advocacy and capacity-building mandate.
• Yale Human Rights Program: An academic human rights program at Yale Law School providing coursework, clinics, fellowships, and publications. Directly comparable as a peer Ivy League-affiliated human rights education and research hub with similar academic positioning.
• Harvard Carr Center for Human Rights Policy: An interdisciplinary human rights research and policy center within Harvard Kennedy School, offering research, fellowships, and convenings. Directly comparable as another Ivy League-based human rights research and education center competing for similar faculty, students, and donor attention.
• University of Minnesota Human Rights Center: A longstanding human rights center offering academic programs, research, and community engagement including the Human Rights Program and Human Rights Library. Comparable as a university-based human rights education and research center with multi-decade operating history.
• University of Chicago Human Rights Program: An interdisciplinary human rights program at the University of Chicago supporting undergraduate and graduate study, research, and events. Directly comparable as a peer research-university-affiliated human rights academic program.

Emerging players

• RFK Human Rights: A human rights organization focused on advocacy, training, and partnerships including the Speak Truth to Power curriculum used in schools. Comparable as an adjacent player in human rights education and capacity building, with overlapping curriculum and training audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/ishrcolumbia
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCXWJVn-v7k3kJ71W49OpBSw
• Facebookfacebook.com/ishrcolumbia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/institute-for-the-study-of-human-rights
• Instagraminstagram.com/ishr_columbia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Institute for the Study of Human Rights | Columbia University