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CourseDefense, Military Engineering & Land Systems Applications open

Diploma in UN Standards and Autonomous Weapons

Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in UN standards and autonomous weapons: 8 modules covering autonomy in weapon systems, international humanitarian law, the CCW and the United Nations, meaningful human control, Article 36 legal reviews, national policies and the ethics of military AI, with an assigned technical tutor.

Duration6–8 months
ModeOnline
LanguageEnglish
Start datesSet by the faculty
AwardSEIUM Institute diploma
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Learning outcomes

What you will be able to do

01

Understand the international debate on lethal autonomous weapon systems.

02

Analyse the applicable framework of international humanitarian law.

03

Interpret the work of the CCW and the UN General Assembly.

04

Apply the concept of meaningful human control.

05

Carry out legal reviews of new weapons under Article 36.

06

Compare national policies on autonomy in weapon systems.

07

Draft well-founded regulatory proposals and positions.

Profile

Who it's for

  • Arms control analysts.
  • Legal advisers in international humanitarian law.
  • Artificial intelligence ethics specialists.
  • Disarmament diplomats.
  • Security policy researchers.
  • Defence regulatory compliance consultants.
  • Engineering or science graduates seeking to work in international organisations.
Standards & tools

What you'll work with

  • Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW)
  • Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, Article 36 (legal review of new weapons)
  • Guiding Principles of the Group of Governmental Experts on LAWS (2019)
  • UN General Assembly Resolution 78/241 (2023)
  • DoD Directive 3000.09 (autonomy in weapon systems, 2023)
  • UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (2021)
  • Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court
  • ICRC Customary IHL Database
  • UN Digital Library
  • Zotero
  • NVivo
Syllabus

8 modules

  1. 1.1Concepts of autonomy and automation
  2. 1.2Critical functions of target selection and engagement
  3. 1.3Existing automatic defensive systems
  4. 1.4Artificial intelligence in defence
  5. 1.5Technical limitations of AI
  6. 1.6Predictability and reliability
  7. 1.7Algorithmic bias
  8. 1.8Taxonomies of autonomy
  9. 1.9The terminology debate
  10. 1.10Case study: classifying systems by their autonomy
  1. 2.1Principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution
  2. 2.2The Martens Clause
  3. 2.3Weapons prohibited by their nature
  4. 2.4Command responsibility
  5. 2.5Individual criminal responsibility
  6. 2.6State responsibility
  7. 2.7International human rights law
  8. 2.8Application in peacetime
  9. 2.9ICRC interpretations
  10. 2.10Workshop: analysing a scenario in the light of IHL
  1. 3.1Structure of the CCW
  2. 3.2Group of Governmental Experts
  3. 3.3The 2019 Guiding Principles
  4. 3.4Proposals for a legal instrument
  5. 3.5General Assembly resolutions
  6. 3.6Role of the Secretary-General
  7. 3.7Positions of groups of States
  8. 3.8Civil society and campaigns
  9. 3.9Negotiation prospects
  10. 3.10Practical exercise: analysis of national positions
  1. 4.1Origin of the concept
  2. 4.2Control in design, deployment and use
  3. 4.3Human judgement and supervision
  4. 4.4Time and space constraints
  5. 4.5Human-machine interaction
  6. 4.6Automation bias
  7. 4.7Operator training
  8. 4.8Control indicators
  9. 4.9Criticisms of the concept
  10. 4.10Case study: assessing human control in a system
  1. 5.1Article 36 of Additional Protocol I
  2. 5.2National review procedures
  3. 5.3Review of AI-enabled systems
  4. 5.4Testing and evaluation for the review
  5. 5.5Review throughout the life cycle
  6. 5.6Transparency of reviews
  7. 5.7International good practice
  8. 5.8Cooperation between States
  9. 5.9Limitations of the mechanism
  10. 5.10Workshop: structure of an Article 36 legal review
  1. 6.1DoD Directive 3000.09
  2. 6.2NATO Principles of Responsible Use of AI
  3. 6.3Positions of the EU and the European Parliament
  4. 6.4The EU AI Act and the military exclusion
  5. 6.5Policies of China and Russia
  6. 6.6Political Declaration on Responsible Military Use of AI
  7. 6.7REAIM initiatives
  8. 6.8Spain's policies
  9. 6.9Comparison of approaches
  10. 6.10Practical exercise: comparing national policies
  1. 7.1Arguments for and against a ban
  2. 7.2Human dignity
  3. 7.3The accountability gap
  4. 7.4Risks of escalation and proliferation
  5. 7.5Research ethics
  6. 7.6Corporate codes of conduct
  7. 7.7The UNESCO Recommendation
  8. 7.8Confidence-building mechanisms
  9. 7.9Future governance
  10. 7.10Case study: ethical dilemma in a research programme
  1. 8.1Defining the problem
  2. 8.2Applicable legal framework
  3. 8.3Analysis of positions
  4. 8.4Proposed definitions
  5. 8.5Proposed obligations
  6. 8.6Verification mechanisms
  7. 8.7Feasibility assessment
  8. 8.8Position paper
  9. 8.9Report and presentation
  10. 8.10Final project: final review with your tutor
Methodology, software & labs

How you'll learn

Training is 100% online on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so the programme can be combined with work.

Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original legal instruments and applied exercises. The working tools are the ICRC Customary IHL Database, UN Digital Library, Zotero and NVivo, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures: analysis of national positions at the CCW, drafting of an Article 36 legal review and simulation of a multilateral negotiation. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.

Standards covered: Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions (Article 36), 2019 GGE Guiding Principles on LAWS, UN General Assembly Resolution 78/241, DoD Directive 3000.09, UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI, Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

Assigned technical tutor:every module ends with a deliverable that your tutor marks individually.
Standards-based learning:guided reading of the CCW, Article 36 of Additional Protocol I and the 2019 GGE Guiding Principles applied to real cases, not as a theoretical annex.
Industry software:the ICRC Customary IHL Database, UN Digital Library, Zotero and NVivo, in free, academic or evaluation versions.
Final project:a regulatory proposal and position paper on autonomous weapons, with definitions, obligations and verification mechanisms, reviewed by your tutor.
Flexible format:100% online, no fixed timetables, compatible with full-time work.
Capstone project

Build it end to end

Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.

Problem definition
Define the regulatory problem and the applicable legal framework.
Analysis of positions
Analyse the positions of States and other actors in the debate.
Definitions and obligations
Propose definitions and obligations for an instrument on autonomous weapons.
Verification and feasibility
Design verification mechanisms and assess the feasibility of the proposal.
Final project
Present the position paper and regulatory proposal, reviewed by your tutor.
Career opportunities

Where this takes you

Arms control analystLegal adviser in international humanitarian lawArtificial intelligence ethics specialistDisarmament diplomatSecurity policy researcherDefence regulatory compliance consultant
Admissions & scholarships

Requirements

  • Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
  • An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
  • English sufficient to read technical standards.

Ready to start?

Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

The programme totals 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.

You work with the ICRC Customary IHL Database, UN Digital Library, Zotero and NVivo, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.

A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.

Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.

Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree required), a computer able to run the software and English sufficient to read technical standards.

Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.

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