Welcome to Module 2 of our course. In this Module you will learn about the founding of the first international organizations and the growth of the multilateral system. We will focus in particular on the League of Nations, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the UN system as a whole.

Welcome to Module 3 of our course. In this Module you will learn about the legal status of international organizations and the functions of their basic texts. We will then examine the structure of organizations, focussing on identifying the various kinds of body found within them. Finally, you will learn about the different kinds of entity that make up the UN system, in particular the UN specialized agencies.

Welcome to Module 4 of our course. In this Module you will learn about the mandates and roles of international organizations. We will look at the tendency of organizations' mandates to gradually expand, and the problems that can ensue. You will also learn how international organizations make decisions.

Welcome to Module 5 of our course. The Module focusses on topics that are of particular interest to future conference interpreters: languages and multilingualism. You will first learn how the current multilingual system at the UN came to be, which, of course, would not have been possible without simultaneous interpreting. You will learn about the founding of our profession, and the important distinction between official and working languages. We will then examine two important issues linked to multilingualism: the increasing dominance of English and the cost of multilingualism within international organizations.

Welcome to the final Module of our course. This Module will help you assess the benefits and shortcomings of international organizations. We will look at the numerous flaws of international organizations, and the cost of the multilateral system — including typical IO budgets — but we will also assess the importance of international organizations and the multilateral system as a whole.