Winter School Crisis Governance

Step into the world of crisis governance and resilience with this immersive one-week course designed for tomorrow’s crisis leaders. Through real-life case studies, interactive assignments, and insights from top academics and industry professionals, you will learn how to analyse, manage, and communicate during complex crises. You’ll master key frameworks from crisis communication and leadership studies while gaining hands-on experience in designing governance strategies that hold up under pressure. This course is essential for those aiming to thrive in high-stakes environments in public service, corporate leadership, or emergency management. Learn how to lead when it matters most. 

Join our one-week winter school in Antwerp on crisis governance. Learn about crisis leadership, resilience and communication with experts from the field, including but not limited to professionals from the Brandweerzone Antwerpen (Fire Department), Brussels Airport Company, PM, and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. In this intensive one-week programme on crisis governance, you will explore how organisations can anticipate, manage, and learn from complex and fast-evolving crises. From high-impact disruptions like pandemics to day-to-day operational challenges, you will gain insight into how leaders maintain control amid chaos. The course blends academic theory with hands-on practice: you will dive into crisis communication, decision-making under pressure, organisational resilience, and the role of networks in crisis response. Guest speakers include crisis professionals from sectors like public safety and critical infrastructure who will share real-world insights that bring the theory to life. 

Through group assignments based on realistic fictional crisis scenarios, you will learn to develop adaptive governance strategies and critically assess their effectiveness in different contexts. You will leave the course equipped with practical tools, theoretical models, and the confidence to lead with clarity in uncertainty. Whether you are aiming for a role in public administration, emergency services, corporate leadership, or research, this course empowers you to become a forward-thinking crisis professional. 

Find out what our previous participants have to say!

I came with high expectations and I was very happy to see them surpassed. I eeally appreciated the quality of the course, all professors and classes and the care all the team had for us. I felt very cozy and part of this super team! Thank you very much! - Renata Da Rocha Ribeiro, Fundação Dom Cabral (Brazil)

The Winter School on Crisis Governance was an intensive but above all highly enriching week. It is an absolute recommendation for anyone involved—directly or indirectly—in organizational resilience and crisis governance, as well as for executives of companies with significant societal impact. - Kurt Boonen, NMBS (Belgium)

It was a great opportunity to learn more about Crisis Governance, meet new people and spend time in a new city. - Raphael Wolfensberger, ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences (Switzerland)

It was a great experience. We learned a lot about crisis governance, and we learned very practical skills. The program covered a great variety of topics, and the tasks were fun and engaging. I would recommend this course to those interested in how to deal with a crisis. Definitely worth it. - Michael Verkindere, University of Antwerp (Belgium)

This short-intensive programme was a very enriching experience and complemented well the topics I am currently studying in my master’s programme. Travelling here and taking part in a course taught in English, alongside participants from different nationalities, was particularly valuable. The professors were excellent and placed strong emphasis on practical management cases, which made the learning highly relevant and engaging. - Pedro Vergueiro, Fundação Dom Cabral (Brazil)