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Overview

Half a century after its inception, development cooperation is today integral to finding solutions for global, regional and national problems. As such, it influences diplomatic agendas from security right through to environment, trade, health and migration.

This course explores development cooperation as an important dimension of international relations, particularly relations between developing and developed countries. Diplomatic training courses rarely include an introduction to and training in development cooperation, thus hampering diplomats’ ability to successfully negotiate development-related issues. The course looks at various types of development cooperation at national, regional and global levels. Development issues are examined from the perspectives of both donor and recipient countries. Theory and analysis are supported with examples and illustrations from the professional experience of the course authors.

Open for applications: 

No

Application deadline: 
Credit: 6 August 2012 Certificate: 3 September 2012
Start date: 
8 October 2012
Course code: 
IRL 5021
ECTS credits: 
9
Mode(s) of study: 
Certificate - Credit - Master/PGD

It opened up a window of global experiences and opinions.
 

Angelic Caroline Alihusain-del Castilho
Course participant
Course details

Half a century after its inception, development cooperation is today integral to finding solutions for global, regional and national problems. As such, it influences diplomatic agendas from security right through to environment, trade, health and migration.

This course explores development cooperation as an important dimension of international relations, particularly relations between developing and developed countries. Diplomatic training courses rarely include an introduction to and training in development cooperation, thus hampering diplomats’ ability to successfully negotiate development-related issues. The course looks at various types of development cooperation at national, regional and global levels. Development issues are examined from the perspectives of both donor and recipient countries. Theory and analysis are supported with examples and illustrations from the professional experience of the course authors.

By the end of this course, participants should be able to:

  • Describe major issues and dilemmas in development cooperation today.
  • Present and explain issues related to development cooperation, both from a donor and a recipient country perspective.
  • Assess development needs and cooperation opportunities.
  • Prepare an 'aid request' to be submitted to a donor.
  • Appraise cooperation proposals submitted by recipient governments or local organisations.
  • Select the most appropriate type of donor for different activities - bilateral, multilateral or private sources.
  • Monitor and evaluate the implementation of development projects, and recommend changes as needed.
  • Argue for and defend the role and potential of development cooperation in today's international relations.

Excerpt from course materials

The objectives of traditional diplomatic tasks and those of development cooperation activities may sometimes be incompatible; this situation can make it difficult for a donor representative to fulfil both responsibilities. On the one hand, a diplomat’s most important task is to defend the interests of his or her home country concerning political issues, economic aspects, security, migration and other such matters; on the other hand, he/she must consider development goals such as poverty alleviation, food security, the promotion of nascent industries, debt forgiveness, and protection of the environment. Conflicts are foreseeable...

Course outline

  1. Introduction: rationale for the course; goals and structure; definitions and basic concepts (such as poverty alleviation and participation); presentation and interpretation of important figures of bilateral, multilateral and private cooperation.
  2. Kinds, Forms and Instruments of Development Cooperation: definitions and characteristics of humanitarian aid, development aid and economic measures, including the interplay among them; analysis of the main methods for each of these forms.
  3. Multilateral Development Cooperation and Diplomacy: main characteristics of multilateral development cooperation; multilateral actors and stakeholders; the roles of multilateral development institutions at country, regional, and global levels; governance of multilateral development institutions; donor and recipient country perspectives; recent trends and challenges.
  4. A View from Developing Countries: reasons that recipient countries strive for and accept development cooperation support; importance of support for the development of the country; positive and negative consequences of development cooperation; expectations for improvements.
  5. The Donor Perspective: reasons for official and private donors to realise development programmes; the role of “self-interest” and corresponding figures; expectations of donors concerning the commitment of recipients and effective transfer of funds.
  6. Millennium Development Goals: evolution of developing thinking since its inception; MDGs as the basis of current development policy; analysis of the main goals and their relevance for development; mechanisms of implementation and analysis of mid-term results.
  7. The Role of Diplomats in International Development Cooperation - Tasks and Tools: the specific tasks of a diplomat in development cooperation activities; introduction to some simple tools to assess development cooperation projects and evaluate implementation; reflections on possible dilemmas between traditional diplomatic tasks and those of development cooperation activities.
  8. Overview and Outlook: new trends and analysis of different approaches; differences in perspectives between donor and recipient countries; reasons for failures and successes; main current problems and outlook.
Reviews

What I enjoyed most from the Diplo course [Development Diplomacy] was the fact that it opened up a window of  global  experiences and opinions to me through my classmates and professors, allowing me to increase my knowledge and skills at a tremendous speed and depth. It was also very important to me that the Diplo course could be combined with my work schedule…

Angelic Caroline Alihusain-del Castilho
Ambassador, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Suriname
December 2008
Who should apply

This course will be of interest to:

  • Practising diplomats, civil servants, and others working in international relations who want to refresh or expand their knowledge under the guidance of experienced practitioners and academics.
  • Postgraduate 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 practising diplomats.
  • Postgraduate 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.
Prerequisites

Applicants for certificate courses must have:

  • An undergraduate university degree OR three years of work experience and appropriate professional qualifications in diplomacy or international relations.
  • Sufficient ability in the 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).

Applicants for accredited courses must meet University of Malta prerequisites:

  • Bachelor's degree in a relevant subject with at least Second Class Honours.
  • Proof of English language proficiency obtained within the last two years (minimum requirements TOEFL: paper-based – 650; Internet-based – 95. IELTS: 6.5. Cambridge: Proficiency Certificate with Grade C or better). If when applying you are still waiting for your English language proficiency results, the University may issue a conditional letter of acceptance.
  • 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:

  • €790 (University of Malta Accredited Course)
  • €600 (Diplo Certificate Course)

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

  • University of Malta application fee (for University of Malta Accredited Courses only)
  • Full tuition
  • Course orientation pack where applicable (optional readings)
  • Access to all course materials online, via Diplo’s online classroom
  • Access, via the Internet, to the University of Malta e-journal collection (University of Malta Accredited Courses only)
  • Personal interaction via the online classroom with course lecturers, staff and other participants
  • Online technical support
  • For Diplo Certificate Courses, postgraduate level certificate issued by DiploFoundation on successful completion of course requirements (interaction and participation, all assignments)

Financial assistance

Discounts are available for more than one participant from the same institution. A limited number of partial scholarships are available for diplomats and others working in international relations from developing countries.

To apply for a scholarship please upload your CV and a motivation letter with your application. The motivation letter should include:

  • Details of your relevant professional and educational background.
  • Reasons for your interest in the course.
  • Why you feel you should have the opportunity to participate in this course: how will your participation benefit you, your institution and/or your country?

As Diplo's ability to offer scholarship support is limited, candidates are strongly encouraged to seek scholarship funding directly from local or international institutions. Our guide to Finding Scholarships for Online Study may provide you with some useful starting points.

How to apply

A number of routes for application are available:

Apply for a Diplo Certificate Course

Applicants for certificate courses should apply online.

If you are applying for financial assistance, please upload your CV and a motivation letter with your application. The motivation letter should include:

  • Details of your relevant professional and educational background.
  • Reasons for your interest in the course.
  • Why you feel you should have the opportunity to participate in this course: how will your participation benefit you, your institution and/or your country?

Please note that financial assistance from DiploFoundation is available only to applicants from developing countries. Late applications will be considered if there are spaces available in the course.

Apply for a University of Malta Accredited Course

Complete application packages must be received by specified application deadlines in order to be considered.

  1. Two copies of the University of Malta application form (click here to download and print) filled out in full.
  2. Certified copies of original degree(s) and official transcripts.
  3. English translations of degree(s) and transcripts if they are not in English, signed and stamped by translator.
  4. English language proficiency certificate obtained within the last two years (minimum requirements TOEFL: paper-based – 650; Internet-based – 95. IELTS: 6.5. Cambridge: Proficiency Certificate with Grade C or better). Please indicate on the application form if you are still waiting for your English language proficiency results.
  5. Two passport-size photos.
  6. Photocopy of personal details pages of your passport.
  7. If you are requesting financial assistance, please include your CV and a motivation letter with your application. The motivation letter should include details of your relevant professional and educational background; reasons for your interest in the course; and why you feel you should have the opportunity to participate in this course: i.e. how will your participation benefit you, your institution and/or your country? Financial assistance from DiploFoundation is available only to applicants from developing countries.
  8. Application fee or proof of payment (€100 – non-refundable – see methods of payment).

Please mail complete application packages to the address at the bottom of the page.

Cancellation Policy

Diplo reserves the right to cancel this course if enrolment is insufficient. In case of cancellation, Diplo will notify applicants shortly after the application deadline. Applicants who have paid an application fee may apply this fee towards another course or receive a refund.

Print course info
Course details:

Half a century after its inception, development cooperation is today integral to finding solutions for global, regional and national problems. As such, it influences diplomatic agendas from security right through to environment, trade, health and migration.

This course explores development cooperation as an important dimension of international relations, particularly relations between developing and developed countries. Diplomatic training courses rarely include an introduction to and training in development cooperation, thus hampering diplomats’ ability to successfully negotiate development-related issues. The course looks at various types of development cooperation at national, regional and global levels. Development issues are examined from the perspectives of both donor and recipient countries. Theory and analysis are supported with examples and illustrations from the professional experience of the course authors.

By the end of this course, participants should be able to:

  • Describe major issues and dilemmas in development cooperation today.
  • Present and explain issues related to development cooperation, both from a donor and a recipient country perspective.
  • Assess development needs and cooperation opportunities.
  • Prepare an 'aid request' to be submitted to a donor.
  • Appraise cooperation proposals submitted by recipient governments or local organisations.
  • Select the most appropriate type of donor for different activities - bilateral, multilateral or private sources.
  • Monitor and evaluate the implementation of development projects, and recommend changes as needed.
  • Argue for and defend the role and potential of development cooperation in today's international relations.

Excerpt from course materials

The objectives of traditional diplomatic tasks and those of development cooperation activities may sometimes be incompatible; this situation can make it difficult for a donor representative to fulfil both responsibilities. On the one hand, a diplomat’s most important task is to defend the interests of his or her home country concerning political issues, economic aspects, security, migration and other such matters; on the other hand, he/she must consider development goals such as poverty alleviation, food security, the promotion of nascent industries, debt forgiveness, and protection of the environment. Conflicts are foreseeable...

Course outline

  1. Introduction: rationale for the course; goals and structure; definitions and basic concepts (such as poverty alleviation and participation); presentation and interpretation of important figures of bilateral, multilateral and private cooperation.
  2. Kinds, Forms and Instruments of Development Cooperation: definitions and characteristics of humanitarian aid, development aid and economic measures, including the interplay among them; analysis of the main methods for each of these forms.
  3. Multilateral Development Cooperation and Diplomacy: main characteristics of multilateral development cooperation; multilateral actors and stakeholders; the roles of multilateral development institutions at country, regional, and global levels; governance of multilateral development institutions; donor and recipient country perspectives; recent trends and challenges.
  4. A View from Developing Countries: reasons that recipient countries strive for and accept development cooperation support; importance of support for the development of the country; positive and negative consequences of development cooperation; expectations for improvements.
  5. The Donor Perspective: reasons for official and private donors to realise development programmes; the role of “self-interest” and corresponding figures; expectations of donors concerning the commitment of recipients and effective transfer of funds.
  6. Millennium Development Goals: evolution of developing thinking since its inception; MDGs as the basis of current development policy; analysis of the main goals and their relevance for development; mechanisms of implementation and analysis of mid-term results.
  7. The Role of Diplomats in International Development Cooperation - Tasks and Tools: the specific tasks of a diplomat in development cooperation activities; introduction to some simple tools to assess development cooperation projects and evaluate implementation; reflections on possible dilemmas between traditional diplomatic tasks and those of development cooperation activities.
  8. Overview and Outlook: new trends and analysis of different approaches; differences in perspectives between donor and recipient countries; reasons for failures and successes; main current problems and outlook.
Who should apply:

This course will be of interest to:

  • Practising diplomats, civil servants, and others working in international relations who want to refresh or expand their knowledge under the guidance of experienced practitioners and academics.
  • Postgraduate 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 practising diplomats.
  • Postgraduate 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.
Methodology:
Olga Algayerova (State Secretary, MFA of the Slovak Republic), talks about practical skills she acquired attending the Development Diplomacy course.

This course is conducted entirely online over a period of ten 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 write several essay assignments. Courses are based on a collaborative approach to learning, involving a high level of interaction.

This course requires a minimum of five to seven hours of study time per week.

Prerequisites:

Applicants for certificate courses must have:

  • An undergraduate university degree OR three years of work experience and appropriate professional qualifications in diplomacy or international relations.
  • Sufficient ability in the 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).

Applicants for accredited courses must meet University of Malta prerequisites:

  • Bachelor's degree in a relevant subject with at least Second Class Honours.
  • Proof of English language proficiency obtained within the last two years (minimum requirements TOEFL: paper-based – 650; Internet-based – 95. IELTS: 6.5. Cambridge: Proficiency Certificate with Grade C or better). If when applying you are still waiting for your English language proficiency results, the University may issue a conditional letter of acceptance.
  • 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:

  • €790 (University of Malta Accredited Course)
  • €600 (Diplo Certificate Course)

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

  • University of Malta application fee (for University of Malta Accredited Courses only)
  • Full tuition
  • Course orientation pack where applicable (optional readings)
  • Access to all course materials online, via Diplo’s online classroom
  • Access, via the Internet, to the University of Malta e-journal collection (University of Malta Accredited Courses only)
  • Personal interaction via the online classroom with course lecturers, staff and other participants
  • Online technical support
  • For Diplo Certificate Courses, postgraduate level certificate issued by DiploFoundation on successful completion of course requirements (interaction and participation, all assignments)

Financial assistance

Discounts are available for more than one participant from the same institution. A limited number of partial scholarships are available for diplomats and others working in international relations from developing countries.

To apply for a scholarship please upload your CV and a motivation letter with your application. The motivation letter should include:

  • Details of your relevant professional and educational background.
  • Reasons for your interest in the course.
  • Why you feel you should have the opportunity to participate in this course: how will your participation benefit you, your institution and/or your country?

As Diplo's ability to offer scholarship support is limited, candidates are strongly encouraged to seek scholarship funding directly from local or international institutions. Our guide to Finding Scholarships for Online Study may provide you with some useful starting points.

How to apply:

A number of routes for application are available:

Apply for a Diplo Certificate Course

Applicants for certificate courses should apply online.

If you are applying for financial assistance, please upload your CV and a motivation letter with your application. The motivation letter should include:

  • Details of your relevant professional and educational background.
  • Reasons for your interest in the course.
  • Why you feel you should have the opportunity to participate in this course: how will your participation benefit you, your institution and/or your country?

Please note that financial assistance from DiploFoundation is available only to applicants from developing countries. Late applications will be considered if there are spaces available in the course.

Apply for a University of Malta Accredited Course

Complete application packages must be received by specified application deadlines in order to be considered.

  1. Two copies of the University of Malta application form (click here to download and print) filled out in full.
  2. Certified copies of original degree(s) and official transcripts.
  3. English translations of degree(s) and transcripts if they are not in English, signed and stamped by translator.
  4. English language proficiency certificate obtained within the last two years (minimum requirements TOEFL: paper-based – 650; Internet-based – 95. IELTS: 6.5. Cambridge: Proficiency Certificate with Grade C or better). Please indicate on the application form if you are still waiting for your English language proficiency results.
  5. Two passport-size photos.
  6. Photocopy of personal details pages of your passport.
  7. If you are requesting financial assistance, please include your CV and a motivation letter with your application. The motivation letter should include details of your relevant professional and educational background; reasons for your interest in the course; and why you feel you should have the opportunity to participate in this course: i.e. how will your participation benefit you, your institution and/or your country? Financial assistance from DiploFoundation is available only to applicants from developing countries.
  8. Application fee or proof of payment (€100 – non-refundable – see methods of payment).

Please mail complete application packages to the address at the bottom of the page.

Cancellation Policy

Diplo reserves the right to cancel this course if enrolment is insufficient. In case of cancellation, Diplo will notify applicants shortly after the application deadline. Applicants who have paid an application fee may apply this fee towards another course or receive a refund.