Foundations in Education Diplomacy

Learn to effectively advance education as a bridge that promotes peace, prosperity, and sustainability.

Governments are primarily responsible for fulfilling the right to education for children worldwide. However, global education goals such as Sustainable Development Goal 4 cannot be achieved without cooperation, coordination, and collaboration across sectors and among diverse, non-state actors in the areas of education and development who are increasingly influencing international policy, funding structures, and the proliferation of services and initiatives. Education Diplomacy builds relationships across sectors, stakeholders, and borders using the skills of diplomacy to cultivate trust, shape consensus, and innovate solutions to education challenges. Complex issues related to inclusion, gender equality, and financing will require Education Diplomacy so that groups with different priorities are able to work together to advance transformative agendas for education.

The online course on Education Diplomacy, offered by the Center for Education Diplomacy (an initiative of the Association for Childhood Education International) in partnership with DiploFoundation, explores the concept in depth and considers its practical relevance for a broad impact on education.

By the end of this course, participants will able to:

• Explain the concept of education diplomacy, with reference to both traditional and new understandings of diplomacy
• Explain how their own field of activity fits into the wider definition and contributes to education diplomacy
• Describe the forums where education diplomacy takes place
• Identify and describe the main state and non-state actors in education diplomacy and their roles
• Recognise the increasingly diverse stakeholders and partnerships involved in education and their implications for the sector
• Identify and describe international policy instruments in the field of education
• Describe the importance of education diplomacy as a contributor to development and the transformational role of education as it relates to the Sustainable Development Goals
• Analyse case studies of education diplomacy to identify and learn from good practices
• Use the skills of education diplomacy to advance the global agenda and international cooperation
• Network with colleagues working in education and related sectors and collaborate effectively online

Course outline

1. Education diplomacy as ‘new diplomacy’: the traditional understanding of diplomacy; the ‘new diplomacy’; the normative dimensions of education diplomacy; suggestions towards a better understanding of education diplomacy; the role of power in education diplomacy.
2. A cognitive framework for education diplomacy: education as a human right, education for human rights; education as development, education for development; improving education: qualitative vs. quantitative approaches.
3. States in education diplomacy: from national concerns to international affairs; who is involved?; goals and uses of education diplomacy; what are the skills needed for education diplomats from a state-centric perspective?
4. Non-state actors in education diplomacy: what kinds of non-state actors are participating in education diplomacy forums?; how are individuals and civil society organisations influencing the advancement of education at the local, national, regional, and global level?
5. Education and the international legal and policy framework - developing norms, goals, and policy: the development of international education norms (establishing and developing education as a human right, The World Education Forum and Education for All movement, the MDGs and the SDGs); international law – a few distinctions: law, customary law, and soft law; other legal instruments; policy documents.
6. Diplomatic negotiations: typical phases of a negotiation process (prenegotiations: establishing common ground, agenda, and procedure; around-the-table negotiations: formula and details); momentum and the use of deadlines; strategies.
7. Applied education diplomacy: how is education diplomacy being used to secure investment in education, particularly for the most vulnerable groups?; successes, challenges, and potential for education diplomacy in areas of early childhood, emergency contexts, girls’ education, and disability inclusive education.

8. Critical issues and future outlook: achieving the SDGs; monitoring and ‘measure what we treasure’; financing for education; globalisation and its pressures - exchange, collaboration, harmonisation.

Participants who successfully complete the course will earn an electronic post-graduate level certificate issued by the Center for Education Diplomacy and DiploFoundation.

This course will be of interest to anyone who seeks to engage more deeply in their work through systemic, interdisciplinary knowledge and a greater understanding of diplomatic skills and processes. Course content is particularly targeted to:

• Diplomats responsible for educational exchange as part of a cultural diplomacy portfolio (i.e., cultural attachés).
• Officials from ministries of education or other ministries whose work touches on international education issues.
• Staff of international organisations and NGOs (UNESCO, UNICEF), civil society, and the private sector working on or interested in international education issues.
• Educators with solid understanding of international issues in education and interested in the workings of diplomacy as it relates to education.
• Graduate students interested in deepening their studies related to comparative and international education, international education policy and development, international affairs with a focus on education, international development, and human rights.

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 complete a final essay assignment. 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.

Participants who successfully complete the course will earn an electronic post-graduate level certificate issued by the Center for Education Diplomacyand DiploFoundation.

Applicants must have an undergraduate university degree. At least two years experience working in a relevant field with a strong interest in international education issues is recommended.

Fees, Scholarships, and Benefits

The course fee is €810 per participant, due upon acceptance into the course.

• A limited number of partial scholarships will be available to selected candidates from developing countries who are active in the field of education diplomacy. Please indicate on your application form if you are requesting a scholarship.
• A 10% reduction in the course fee is available for participants who register as part of a group of two or more from the same institution. Please indicate on your application form if you are applying as part of a group.
• A 10% reduction in the course fee is available for participants who are members of the Association for Childhood Education International.
• Participants who successfully complete Foundations in Education Diplomacy can apply the course toward a Diploma in Social Innovation with the UPEACE Centre of Executive Education. Please contact edudiplomacy@acei.org if you would like to learn more about this benefit.

Please apply online using our online application form by 3 September 2018.

Please note that the application form asks you to provide a short motivation statement (100 - 150 words) explaining the reasons for your interest in this course. What are your personal and professional objectives for the future, and how will this course help you to reach them?

Please do not forget to indicate on the application form if you are requesting a partial scholarship or if you are registering as part of a group from the same institution.

Late applications will be considered only if places remain in the course. In case of enquiries, please contact us at admissions@diplomacy.edu.