Cyber Diplomacy

A lesson from diplomatic history demonstrates that faster or more frequent communication, such as that made possible by e-mail, does not necessarily lead to greater understanding. Many historians attribute the outbreak of the First World War to a failure of diplomacy. However, it is interesting to consider the fact that prior to the First World War, the telegraph replaced regular summit meetings of the European leaders as the foremost diplomatic instrument. Such regular high-level summits were the cornerstone of the Concert of Europe security system, established at the Congress of Vienna in 1814, providing a venue for solving problems and disputes. Although the telegraph was a great technological innovation, it did not automatically lead to diplomatic progress, as instead of physically meeting each other, heads of state started exchanging telegraph messages. This change in method of communication brought about more confusion than understanding and contributed considerably to the outbreak of the First World War.

- excerpt from Cyber Diplomacy course materials


Description and Objectives

Diplomats make extensive use of computers and the Internet in their daily work. The sheer amount of information and software available has made Information and Communication Technology (ICT) a vital tool in most diplomatic activities. But are diplomats - and other people interested in international affairs – using ICT tools to their best and fullest advantage? This course explores some of the possibilities offered by new technologies to improve diplomatic activities. The different components of the course also highlight some risks (and opportunities) of the tools and the information available.

The main objective of this course is to provide practical examples of new skills and tasks that modern diplomats should know and apply in their daily work. A participant who has successfully completed this course should have:

  • a broader view of the concrete application of ICT tools regularly used in large organisations such as ministries of foreign affairs;
  • improved ICT/Internet skills related to daily diplomatic work; 
  • enhanced management of online information and better knowledge of tools to avoid information overload;
  • new ICT/Internet-based techniques for improving performance of some traditional diplomatic activities such as negotiating, attending meetings and preparing reports;
  • awareness and skills for efficient online interaction with international institutions including the UN and various regional and specialised organisations; 
  • awareness of the risks related to the use of the Internet and other ICT tools in diplomatic activities; 
  • basic skills and understanding of the use of websites for public diplomacy.

 

Course Outline

  1. E-mail in Diplomatic Activities
  2. Online Press and Media
  3. Useful Databases for International Affairs
  4. Advanced Search Skills
  5. Use of Numbers in Diplomatic Work
  6. Organising your Ideas and Activities
  7. IT Security in Daily Activities
  8. Websites of Diplomatic Missions: Tips and Tricks

 

Who Should Apply

  • Practicing diplomats, civil servants, and others who work in international relations who want to refresh or expand their knowledge under the guidance of experienced practitioners and academics;
  • Post-graduate students of diplomacy or international relations wishing to study topics not offered through their university programmes or diplomatic academies and to gain deeper insight through interaction with practicing diplomats;
  • Post-graduate students or practitioners in other fields seeking an entry point into the world of diplomacy;
  • Journalists, staff of international and non-governmental organisations, translators, business people and others who interact with diplomats and wish to improve their understanding of diplomacy-related topics.

 

Structure and Methodology

This course is conducted entirely online over a period of 10 weeks. Reading materials and tools for online interaction are provided through an online classroom. Each week, participants read the provided lecture text, adding questions, comments and references in the form of hypertext entries. Lecturers and other participants read and respond to these entries, creating interaction based on the lecture text. During the week, participants complete additional online activities (for example, further discussion via blogs or forums, quizzes, group tasks, simulations or short assignments). At the end of the week, participants and lecturers meet online in a chat room to discuss the week’s topic. To complete the course successfully, participants must also write one or two essay assignments and a final examination. Courses are based on a collaborative approach to learning, involving a high level of interaction.

 

Lecturer(s)

Mr Stefano Baldi, Diplo Senior Fellow
Cyber Diplomacy

Mr Stefano Baldi is currently First Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of Italy to the European Union in Brussels. He has served at the Permanent Missions of Italy to the United Nations in Geneva and in New York, where he developed several initiatives for the use of information technologies in the diplomatic community. Mr Baldi has an academic background in demography and international social issues. He also lectures on the use of Internet for ministries of foreign affairs and missions. Mr Baldi’s main field of research focuses on the impact and future developments of information technology on international affairs.

 

Dr Andrei Mikheyev
Internet Governance, Cyber Diplomacy

Dr Andrei Mikheyev obtained his degree in International Relations from Nizhny Novgorod State University and wrote his PhD dissertation on Foreign Policy Decision Making in the Information Age: the Role of Non-Governmental Organizations at Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO-University) of the MFA of Russia. He currently works at MGIMO-University as deputy director of Internet Politics Centre and lecturer. Dr Mikheyev became involved with Diplo in 2004, first as a student in the Postgraduate Diploma in Diplomacy programme and then as a tutor in the Internet Governance Capacity Building Programme and assistant lecturer/coordinator for other Diplo courses. He has also contributed, both as translator and as project manager, to the translation and publication of Diplo's Internet Governance and Building.org books in Russia.

 

Dr Jovan Kurbalija
Internet Governance, Cyber Diplomacy, Diplomatic Law: Privileges and Immunities, Climate Change Diplomacy

Dr Jovan Kurbalija is the founding director of DiploFoundation. He is a former diplomat with a professional and academic background in international law, diplomacy and information technology. In 1992 he established the Unit for IT and Diplomacy at the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies in Malta. In 2003, after more than 10 years of successful work in training, research and publishing, the Unit evolved into DiploFoundation. Dr Kurbalija currently directs online learning courses on ICT and diplomacy and lectures in academic and training institutions in Switzerland, the United States, Austria, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Malta. His main areas of research are diplomacy and the development of an international Internet regime, the use of hypertext in diplomacy, online negotiations and diplomatic law.

 

Words from Former Participants

The cyber diplomacy course was very useful for me especially in terms of web search. I learned that information can be found only if you have the proper tools and you know how to use them. Another important topic for me was related to databases for international affairs, as knowledge and information is vital for my job. A special mention for the teachers of this course.

Florin Botonogu, Social Coordinator, "Beautiful Romania" project,
UNDP Romania

The cyber diplomacy course covered a broad spectrum of very interesting topics related to Information Technology. Some of them, such as IT tools for knowledge management, IT security, as well as advanced web search skills, have been very relevant to my studies and work where managing information in a digitalized environment is crucial. Anyone interested in mastering this subject may learn a lot from the lecturers’ considerable expertise.

Eleonora Merlicco, Master in Contemporary Diplomacy 2007/08 student

As a project manager, the course was a source of inspiration, providing the opportunity to get in depth knowledge on databases for international affairs, use of numbers in diplomatic activities, knowledge management and mind mapping. Overall, Cyber Diplomacy is a valuable course for all professionals who make extensive use of ITC.

Suzana Ricea, Head of European Integration Office,
City Hall of Hunedoara, Romania

Prerequisites

Applicants must have:

  • an undergraduate university degree; OR three years work experience and appropriate professional qualifications in diplomacy or international relations;
  • sufficient ability in English language to undertake postgraduate level studies (including reading academic texts, discussing complex concepts with other course participants, and submitting written essay assignments of up to 2500 words in length);
  • unrestricted access to the Internet using Firefox or Internet Explorer web browsers (please contact us for more details if you are in doubt about your level of access).

 

Fees

Course fees depend on whether you wish to obtain university credit for the course:

  • 755 euros (University of Malta Credit Course)
  • 575 euros (Diplo Certificate Course)

Applicants must pay full fees upon official acceptance into the course. The fee includes:

  • University of Malta application fee (where applicable)
  • Tuition fee
  • Course orientation pack (where applicable - may include text and/or references and Textus Learning User Guide)
  • Access to all required course materials online, via Diplo’s online classroom
  • Personal interaction via the online classroom with course lecturers, staff and other participants
  • Online technical support: requests will be answered within 24 hours
  • Certificate of completion issued by DiploFoundation (upon meeting all course requirements for participation, assignments and examination)

 

Financial Assistance

Discounts are available for more than one participant from the same institution. A limited number of partial scholarships are available for diplomats from developing countries. To apply for a scholarship please include your CV or resume, and a letter outlining your interest in the course and financial need, with your application package.

 

How to Apply

A number of routes for application are available, depending on the needs of the applicant: