Digital Policy and Internet Governance (just-in-time New York-based course)

This course aims to assist permanent missions to the UN in New York to actively follow the increasingly relevant fields of digital policy and Internet governance (IG), with a focus on dynamics in the UN. The course is offered by the Geneva Internet Platform and delivered by DiploFoundation.

The course will benefit diplomats who follow IG, digital policy, cybersecurity, and related policy fields (e.g. telecommunications, human rights, trade). While improving their knowledge of digital policy, participants will also gain the practical skills and knowledge required to follow current IG processes such as the global IG architecture, privacy and data protection, and cybersecurity. The course focuses in particular on diplomatic and policy processes in the UN in New York, connecting these to the relevant discussions and negotiations in Geneva.

The course will be benefit diplomats in New York who follow IG, digital policy, cybersecurity, and related policy fields (e.g. telecommunications, human rights, trade). 

To ensure effective interaction, the class size is limited to 25 participants. The selection of participants will include the following criteria: support for small and developing countries, gender balance, and regional balance.

The course will run from 4 April to 23 May 2018, using a blended learning technique combining dynamic exchange in an online classroom with weekly one-hour learning sessions held at the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the UN in New York.

The first week of the course (4–10 April) is an introductory and orientation week. Participants should plan to spend about one hour completing a series of easy activities designed to introduce the online classroom. 

Following the introductory and orientation period, each week starts with the weekly learning session, where lecturers will introduce the week’s topic with examples and discussion from current global events, to set the stage.

After the weekly learning session, each week participants will read course materials for the topic and continue discussion – with each other and with the course lecturing team – in the online classroom. At the end of the week, participants will complete a short quiz, designed to test their understanding of the topic.

The first weekly learning session will be facilitated by Dr Jovan Kurbalija, Director of DiploFoundation and Head of the Geneva Internet Platform. 

Each week discussion will be facilitated by an experienced lecturing team.

Participants who complete the course successfully will receive a course certificate.

Applicants for this course must be based in New York. They should be following Internet governance or digital policy issues at their mission.

The course costs are fully covered by the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.

Please apply online using our online application form by 23 March 2018. Please apply for this course only if you are based in New York. Applications from other locations cannot be considered for this session.

Late applications will be considered only if places remain in the course.

For questions, please contact Ms Tereza Horejsova: terezah@diplomacy.edu, tel. +1 202 413 92 33