An interactive online capacity development programme
Internet governance (IG) has become one of the most important policy areas of our time. Topics like privacy protection, human rights online, and cybersecurity are increasingly in the focus of global policy making. How we manage the Internet will define much of our society. Yet the growing relevance of the Internet is not yet supported by effective and inclusive IG.
The Advanced Diploma in Internet Governance gives current and future Internet policy makers a solid foundation in practical and diplomatic skills, and techniques necessary to engage effectively in international global policy processes. To obtain the diploma, participants must meet programme requirements for three of the five courses on offer (Introduction to Internet Governance; E-Diplomacy; Internet Technology and Policy: Challenges and Solutions; Cybersecurity; Artificial Intelligence: Technology, Governance, and Policy Frameworks) within a three-year period.
Please click the Course details tab below for complete course requirements or contact admissions@diplomacy.edu
Lecturers
Dr Stephanie Borg Psaila
Director Digital Policy
Dr Stephanie Borg Psaila is the Director for Digital Policy at DiploFoundation, and the Editor of the GIP Digital Watch observatory. In 2018-2019, she served as Diplo's Interim Director and Head of Geneva Internet Platform, replacing Founding Director Dr Jovan Kurbalija during his one-year position as co-Executive Director of the Secretariat of the United Nations High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation.
Stephanie holds a Doctorate in Law (LL.D.), a Master's in Contemporary Diplomacy, and two law-related diplomas from the University of Malta, and her special areas of interest include legal issues in digital policy, human rights, and e-diplomacy. She holds a warrant to practice as a Notary Public in Malta, and is a former journalist with The Sunday Times of Malta.
Dr Katharina Höne
Director of Research
Dr Katharina (Kat) E Höne researches, writes, and teaches on a number of issues in the area of diplomacy, global governance, and the impact of technology on international relations. Over the last years, she has focused on research at the intersection of diplomacy and technology. She was part of a research project on Data Diplomacy: Updating diplomacy to the big data era and the lead researcher and author of Mapping the challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence for the conduct of diplomacy report, both supported by the Ministry for Foreign of Affairs of Finland. In addition, she has more than 10 years of experience in teaching international relations at universities in the UK and Germany, and in delivering in-situ, blended, and online training to diplomatic practitioners. Kat holds an MA in Diplomatic Studies (University of Leicester, UK) and a PhD in International Politics (University of Aberystwyth, UK). In her work, she is driven by her aim to level the playing field at international negotiation tables through capacity development, and to provide out-of-the-box thinking and inspiration by drawing on her passion for science-fiction.
Dr Jovan Kurbalija
Executive Director
Dr Jovan Kurbalija is the Executive Director of DiploFoundation and Head of the Geneva Internet Platform (GIP). He was a member of the UN Working Group on Internet Governance (2004‒2005), special advisor to the Chairman of the UN Internet Governance Forum (2006‒2010), and a member of the High Level Multistakeholder Committee for NETmundial (2013‒2014). In 2018-2019, he served as co-Executive Director of the Secretariat of the United Nations (UN) High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation.
A former diplomat, Jovan has a professional and academic background in international law, diplomacy, and information technology. He has been a pioneer in the field of cyber diplomacy since 1992 when he established the Unit for Information Technology and Diplomacy at the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies in Malta, and later, DiploFoundation.
Since 1997, Jovan’s research and articles on cyber diplomacy have shaped research and policy discussion on the impact of the Internet on diplomacy and international relations. His book, An Introduction to Internet Governance, has been translated into 9 languages and is used as a textbook for academic courses worldwide. He lectures on e-diplomacy and Internet governance in academic and training institutions in many countries, including Austria (Diplomatic Academy of Vienna), Belgium (College of Europe), Switzerland (University of St Gallen), Malta (University of Malta), and the United States (University of Southern California).
His publishes regular articles on DiploFoundation's blog, and the Huffington Post.
Ms Marília Maciel
Digital Policy Senior Researcher
Brazilian-born Ms Marília Maciel is currently based in Strasbourg, France. She is involved in several Internet- governance-related projects, notably on the fields of digital economy, e-commerce, and cybersecurity. She also curates the topics of e-commerce, Access and Digital Divide for the GIP Digital Watch Observatory and represents Diplo at various meetings.
Prior to joining Diplo, Ms Marília Maciel was a researcher and coordinator of the Center for Technology and Society of the Getulio Vargas Foundation (CTS/FGV) in Rio de Janeiro. She served as a councillor at ICANN´s Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) representing the Non-Commercial Stakeholder Group (NCSG). Marília is a former member of the Working Group on Improvements to the Internet Governance Forum (2011–2012), created under the auspices of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development (UN CSTD). She was also a member of the Multistakeholder Executive Committee of NETmundial and represented CTS/FGV in meetings of the Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). She served in the Consultative Chamber on Internet Security and Rights of the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee (CGI.br).
Marília is a PhD candidate at the University of Bordeaux Montaigne, on Information and Communication Sciences. She holds an MA in Latin American Integration from the Federal University of Santa Maria (2008) and a law degree from the Federal University of Pernambuco (2005), where she was awarded a research grant from the State of Pernambuco Research Foundation (FACEPE) to investigate issues related to taxation and electronic commerce.
Ms Virginia Paque
Internet Governance and E-diplomacy Programmes
Born (and currently residing) in the United States, Ms Virginia (Ginger) Paque lived in Venezuela for more than 35 years. An educator and administrator by profession, she has 25 years’ experience in business and manufacturing systems consulting. As a board member of the United Nations Association of Venezuela, her work as the Venezuelan member of the World Federation of United Nations Associations Task Force on WSIS marked her entry to the world of Internet governance (IG) during the Geneva PrepComs. Active in Civil Society discussions on IG, Ginger served as IG Caucus co-coordinator for two years. She was a member of the UN Internet Governance Forum (IGF) Multistakeholder Advisory Group (MAG) from 2015 to 2017, with a specific focus on moving online 'observation' to online 'participation' for greater inclusion. Having completed a Master in Contemporary Diplomacy with a thesis focusing on the importance of IG as a new diplomatic priority, Ginger currently lectures on IG for Diplo and curates human rights topics for the GIP Digital Watch observatory. Accessibility to support inclusion is a high priority, particularly through support for persons with disabilities and multilingual approaches.
Mr Vladimir Radunović
Cybersecurity and E-diplomacy Programmes Director
Serbian-born Mr Vladimir (Vlada) Radunović is a lecturer in cybersecurity policy, Internet governance, and e-diplomacy on postgraduate and professional courses. He also serves as an expert with the Geneva Internet Platform. He served as a member of the Advisory Board of the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise (GFCE) from 2016 to 2020, and a member of the Multistakeholder Advisory Group of the UN Internet Governance Forum (IGF) from 2012 to 2014. Vlada has been a lecturer, speaker, and resource person on a number of educational and training programmes and events worldwide, including within the WSIS and IGF processes. His professional and research focus is on Internet governance, broadband policy and net neutrality, cybersecurity and cyber-diplomacy, e-diplomacy, and capacity development. He holds an MSc in Electrical Engineering from the University of Belgrade and a Master’s in Contemporary Diplomacy from the University of Malta. He is currently working on his PhD in cybersecurity. Vlada is currently member of the Board of Directors of Diplo US.
An interactive online capacity development programme
Internet governance (IG) has become one of the most important policy areas of our time. Topics like privacy protection, human rights online, and cybersecurity are increasingly in the focus of global policy making. How we manage the Internet will define much of our society. Yet the growing relevance of the Internet is not yet supported by effective and inclusive IG.
The Advanced Diploma in Internet Governance gives current and future Internet policy makers a solid foundation in practical and diplomatic skills, and techniques necessary to engage effectively in international global policy processes.
Programme structure
The Advanced Diploma in Internet Governance requires completing three of the five courses on offer within a three-year period, with a grade of at least 75% for each. Candidates must also write a final assignment and obtain a grade of at least 70%. The courses currently on offer are:
- Introduction to Internet Governance
- E-Diplomacy
- Internet Technology and Policy: Challenges and Solutions
- Cybersecurity
- Artificial Intelligence: Technology, Governance, and Policy Frameworks
The programme language is English, giving non-native speakers a valuable opportunity to practise and hone their skills at expressing and explaining work-related concepts in this international language.
Faculty members include high-ranking practising and retired experts as well as renowned academics in the fields of Internet governance, diplomacy, and international relations. For further details please visit our faculty page.
Candidates who successfully complete the programme will receive a Diploma in Internet Governance awarded by DiploFoundation. Please note that this is a professional certification issued by DiploFoundation, a non-profit foundation. It is not a university diploma.
This programme will be of interest to:
- Officials in government ministries, departments, regulatory bodies, or institutions dealing with Information Society, Internet, and ICT-related policy issues (e.g. telecommunications, education, foreign affairs, justice)
- Postgraduate students, academics, and researchers in the IG field (telecommunications, electrical engineering, law, economics, diplomacy, international relations, development studies)
- Civil society activists in the IG and Information Society fields
- Journalists covering IG issues
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Individuals in Internet business-related fields (e.g. ISPs, software developers).
During the online courses, interaction takes place via the Internet 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 (e.g. 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. Evaluation is based on participation in course discussions and on several assignments for each course.
Courses are based on a collaborative approach to learning, involving a high level of interaction. This course requires a minimum of seven to eight hours of study time per week.
Applicants for this programme must have:
- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject or basic IG knowledge and/or experience of the multistakeholder approach in international affairs.
- 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).
- Regular access to the Internet (dial-up connection is sufficient, although broadband is preferable).
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A minimum of seven to eight hours commitment per week, and the readiness to participate in class online sessions (once a week at specified times).
The programme requires the completion of three online courses; the fee for each course is 690 Euros. The fee for each course is due upon acceptance, before the course starts. There is no additional fee, above the fee for each course, to obtain the Advanced Diploma.
Discounts
Alumni members are eligible for a 15% discount on course fees.
Discounts are available for more than one participant from the same institution.
Financial assistance
A limited number of partial scholarships are available for diplomats and others working in international relations from small and developing countries, through support from the Government of Malta.
A limited number of partial scholarships are available for civil society applicants working in the field of digital policy, through support from the Ford Foundation.
To apply for a scholarship please upload your CV and a motivation letter with your course application. The motivation letter should include:
- Details of your relevant professional and educational background.
- Reasons for your interest in the course.
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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.
Please apply online for each of your three selected courses, based on the application deadline for each course. You can click on the links below to read more about each course, learn when the next session is scheduled, check the application deadline, and access the online application forms:
- Introduction to Internet Governance
- E-Diplomacy
- Internet Technology and Policy: Challenges and Solutions
- Cybersecurity
- Artificial Intelligence: Technology, Governance, and Policy Frameworks
At any point during the three selected courses, you can contact admissions@diplomacy.edu to register your intention to obtain the Advanced Diploma in Internet Governance.