Modules:

Module 1: International Refugee Law Foundations

• 1951 Convention and 1967 Protocol
• UNHCR mandate and international cooperation
• Case study: Recognition of a refugee fleeing gang violence

Module 2: Elements of the Refugee Definition

• Well-founded fear, persecution, nexus to grounds
• Exclusion clauses and cessation
• Case study: Evaluating persecution based on political opinion

Module 3: Refugee Status Determination Procedures

• Procedural fairness and confidentiality
• First-instance decisions and appeals
• Case study: Fair hearing violation in asylum claim

Module 4: Interviewing Techniques and Credibility Assessment

• Trauma-informed approaches
• Non-verbal cues and corroboration
• Case study: Impact of inconsistent testimony on claim outcome

Module 5: Detention and Alternatives

• Legal standards, safeguards, alternatives to detention
• Special protections for children and families
• Case study: Unlawful detention of stateless asylum seekers

Module 6: Vulnerable Groups and Intersectionality

• Gender-based claims, LGBTI refugees, child-specific needs
• Country of origin research and psychosocial factors
• Case study: Gender persecution claim based on forced marriage

Module 7: Integration, Resettlement, and Returns

• Local integration policies
• Voluntary return and reintegration
• Case study: Voluntary return challenges post-conflict

Module 8: Statelessness and IDP Protections

• Legal framework and identification
• Administrative procedures and documentation
• Case study: Stateless child in cross-border situation

Module 9: Asylum and National Security Concerns

• Balancing protection with security
• Anti-terrorism law and refugee rights
• Case study: Security exclusion in refugee case

Module 10:  Full RSD Simulation

• Interview, adjudication, and appeal process
• Written decision-making exercise
• Case study: Complex claim with mixed grounds of persecution