Traditional leadership training courses often concentrate on administrative aspects and on understanding day-to-day operations (finances, controlling, marketing, macro and micro economics, etc.). They rarely address the specific themes which gain in relevance in exacting situations (decision-making, human factors, information management). The Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) in Effective Leadership is a joint advanced studies programme of the University of Lucerne and the Swiss Armed Forces College (SAFC) and fills a gap in that it trains the skills required for leadership in situations with an acute need for action.

Providing support to people affected by conflicts and disasters is characterised as being an intense, challenging and multi-faceted tasks. The joint study program "CAS/MAS in Humanitarian Leadership" connects academic skills and knowledge delivered by the University of Lucerne with the practical know how and experience of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).