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ATLANTA – Three Honors College faculty members at Perimeter College participated in the international Partners in Peace (PiP) initiative in Oslo, Norway, this summer. The inaugural Oslo Peace Congress convened more than 40 delegates representing 28 institutions from the United States, Norway, Germany and the Netherlands. Partners in Peace is a selective international effort designed to advance peace and human rights education, civic engagement and student leadership.
Georgia State University Perimeter College was one of 16 institutions worldwide selected to receive the prestigious Partners in Peace designation, established through a collaboration between the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) and the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo, Norway. The designation recognizes the college’s commitment to innovative honors education and global engagement.
“This experience represented an important milestone in developing our emerging peace and human rights curriculum and served as a natural extension of the work underway through the Perspectives in Peace course and the Human Rights and the Humanities study abroad initiative,” said Lauri Goodling, professor of English, associate dean of the Honors College and associate dean for international education. Goodling attended the congress with English professor Deborah Manson and Criminal Justice associate professor Tami Thomas. Together, they exchanged ideas with international scholars, educational leaders and representatives of organizations associated with the Nobel Peace Prize while showcasing Georgia State University's leadership in honors education and global learning.
During sessions focused on best practices, leaders from Partners in Peace institutions discussed expanding peace education in higher education and strengthening an international network of educators, scholars and peace practitioners. The discussions sparked ideas for future collaborations and underscored the importance of interdisciplinary approaches to peacebuilding, conflict resolution, democracy, human rights education and experiential learning.
Welcoming remarks by Anne Lindboe, mayor of Oslo, underscored the importance of civic leadership and international cooperation in fostering peaceful societies. Participants visited the Norwegian Parliament to gain insights into democratic governance and consensus-building practices. They also attended presentations at the Norwegian Nobel Institute and the Nobel Peace Center, where speakers explored the history and global impact of the Nobel Peace Prize. Additionally, the Peace Dove ceremony served as a reminder that peacebuilding is not merely a political endeavor but also a personal and educational commitment.
Faculty members immediately brought lessons from the Oslo Peace Congress back to the classroom, enriching students' learning experiences.
“Attending the Oslo Peace Congress was an invaluable professional experience that deepened my understanding of the Nobel Peace Prize and its enduring role in advancing peace through dialogue,” said Thomas. “The conference sessions and visits to the Nobel Peace Center enriched discussions of sustainability, peacebuilding and the transformative power of dialogue. I immediately incorporated what I learned into my Honors Perspectives in Peace study abroad course.”
One of the most meaningful moments of the congress came when faculty welcomed the inaugural cohort of 15 honors students from Georgia State University and Perimeter College as they arrived in Oslo to begin the Human Rights and the Humanities study abroad program.
“Seeing students begin their study abroad journey in Norway underscored the long-term impact of the Partners in Peace initiative and years of curriculum development,” Goodling said.
Manson also reflected on how lessons from the congress will benefit students. “Attending the Oslo Peace Congress gave us incredible access to the philosophy and process behind the Nobel Peace Prize,” Manson said. “This kind of positive, solutions-oriented content is exactly what our students need to give them hope for the future.”
Perimeter faculty exchanged ideas with delegates from Morehouse College, Georgia Southern University and the University of Georgia. Those conversations laid the foundation for future collaborations in human rights education, honors programming, study abroad and student leadership development while highlighting Georgia's growing leadership in global and civic education. The lessons learned will continue to inform curriculum development, faculty engagement and student programming at Perimeter College and across Georgia State University.
The Oslo Peace Congress marked the beginning of a long-term commitment to advancing the Partners in Peace initiative. It underscored the leadership role the Honors College at Perimeter plays in advancing peace and human rights education. Plans are underway to share presentations from the congress highlighting innovative approaches to peace education, curriculum development, research and faculty collaboration. As an inaugural institutional partner, Perimeter quickly moved from concept to implementation by creating a new honors course, establishing a multiyear global learning strategy centered on human rights education and launching its first Norway-Sweden study abroad program.
The Oslo Peace Congress demonstrated how strategic investments in faculty innovation and international partnerships can create academic opportunities while elevating the university’s visibility nationally and internationally.
“It all comes back to helping shape students as citizens of the world and giving them hope that global peace is possible,” Goodling said.
Story by Barbara Obrentz