The Basel Institute’s first international postgraduate programme in anti-corruption has begun. 12 students from 11 countries across Africa, Europe and North America are taking part in the six-month course, led by Basel Institute staff and resulting in a Certificate of Advanced Studies from the University of Basel.

The course, Mastering Today’s Anti-Corruption Challenges, equips mid-career professionals with the tools, skills and networks to address corruption and governance challenges in their work.

Lead instructor Dr Claudia Baez Camargo, Director of the Institute’s Prevention, Research and Innovation team, explained:

“Through this programme, participants will not only deepen their understanding of corruption in today’s complex world, but also learn to evaluate the real evidence on what works. Most importantly, they will be empowered to apply these insights with confidence in their own countries and professional contexts, helping to strengthen integrity and good governance where it matters most.”

Shaping the next generation of anti-corruption leaders

Three participants attended the opening event on 26–27 September in person in Basel, while those unable to travel joined the sessions online.

The first cohort is made up of peers with diverse academic backgrounds – including legal, economic, political and other disciplines – and professional experience in the public, private and civil society sectors, in multilateral organisations and the media.

They were welcomed by the Basel Institute’s President Peter Maurer and Executive Director Betsy Andersen, together with the Basel STUDY team and instructors.

Visits to the University of Basel and the historic centre gave participants and instructors the chance to bond while exploring Swiss traditions.

The participants who attended the launch in person described themselves as:

“excited”, “grateful” and “honoured”.

Asked what she hoped to get out of the course, Tamara Lee, a Business Analyst and Project Manager from Ireland, said:

“I hope I’ll learn to see corruption issues with a sharper, more professional lens. Instead of falling back on the usual buzzwords or the kind of surface-level ideas we see on social media or hear in conversations, I’d like to be able to look at situations in a deeper, more critical way.”

Dr Ramadhani Marijani, a Senior Lecturer and Researcher at Tanzania’s University of Dodoma, added: 

“I hope I can be able to resolve anti-corruption challenges from an African perspective and understand other challenges in the global sphere. I am looking forward to engaging in classes, sharing and learning from other fellow participants from Africa and other countries and from the community of practice fighting the war against corruption globally.”

Ilinca-Ioana Bīlc, Legal Advisor at a bank in Romania, emphasised her desire to explore a holistic approach to anti-corruption: 

“I want to know how I can fight [corruption] from different angles besides the basic one that everyone expects: you just follow the guidelines and then there will be no corruption. When in fact, the problem is much bigger and we need way more different ways of tackling it.” 

Exploring corruption’s links to today’s greatest challenges

Saturday’s classroom sessions with Dr Saba Kassa explored how corruption connects to today’s greatest concerns, from shifting geopolitics and democratic backsliding to migration and climate change. This sets the foundation for modules delivered in live online sessions over the next six months and covering:

• How corruption and governance impact states, societies and organisations.
• The fundamentals of anti-corruption practice, from legal instruments to effective enforcement and prevention.
• Novel approaches to anti-corruption, drawing on political and behavioural sciences.
• How anti-corruption strategies are implemented internationally – and how they could be made more effective.

Students will apply their knowledge through a personal study project on a corruption challenge of their choice.

Scholarship fund opens doors to global talent

Several participants benefited from tuition support thanks to generous donors to the Gretta Fenner Scholarship Fund.

The fund supports applicants from lower-income backgrounds who show strong commitment to anti-corruption, transparency and good governance. It reflects the vision of the Basel Institute’s late Managing Director Gretta Fenner to educate and empower anti-corruption leaders everywhere, regardless of financial means.

One recipient is Nigerian lawyer Emmanuela OkonkwoAbutu of the Abuja-based African Centre for Governance, Asset Recovery and Sustainable Development. She shared:

“This prestigious study programme... offers a forum to learn from professionals who are influencing the global conversation on anti-corruption… This educational journey would not have been possible without the support of the Gretta Fenner Scholarship Fund.”

We are grateful to The International Academy of Financial Crime Litigators, the Academy’s co-founders Elizabeth Ortega (ECO Strategic Communications), Stéphane Bonifassi (Bonifassi Avocats) and Lincoln Caylor (Bennett Jones), as well as Swiss law firm Kellerhals Carrard for their generous donations to the Fund.

Expanding opportunities through Basel STUDY

Basel STUDY – the Basel Institute’s postgraduate programme initiative – is designed to boost the knowledge, skills and careers of professionals committed to countering corruption and financial crime.

It builds on the Institute’s long-standing capacity-building approach, encouraging peer learning, hands-on practice and real-life cases. The two available Certificate of Advanced Studies programmes combine this practitioner-led spirit with the academic rigour of the University of Basel.

The second course, Combating Financial Crime Through Asset Recovery, starts in February 2026. Applications remain open for self-funded or employer-funded participants.

Learn more

• Explore other learning opportunities at the Basel Institute, including free eLearning courses on Basel LEARN, our four-day course on crypto, financial crime and AML compliance, and our flagship asset recovery training programmes for law enforcement agencies.
• Learn about the Gretta Fenner Scholarship Fund – and consider donating to help change lives and create impact!