DiploNews – Issue 299 – 5 May 2016

Applications open for 2017 Master/Postgraduate Diploma in Contemporary Diplomacy

Diplo is now accepting applications for the 2017 Master/PGD in Contemporary Diplomacy, and the Master/PGD in Contemporary Diplomacy with an Internet Governance specialisation. These unique postgraduate programmes, offered in cooperation with the University of Malta, include a 10-day residential workshop in Malta followed by 16–20 months of online learning. Visit the Master in Contemporary Diplomacy webpage to read more and to apply. Scholarships covering 20–50% of Postgraduate Diploma fee are available for applicants from small and developing states. The programme starts on 1 February 2017. The application deadline is 1 October 2016 for international applicants and 15 November 2016 for Maltese applicants.

Summer online courses

Diplo’s summer online courses start 18 July 2016:

21st Century Diplomacy
Diplomatic Law: Privileges and Immunities
Infrastructure and Critical Internet Resources
Multilateral Diplomacy

Apply by 16 May 2016 for University of Malta accredited courses and by 13 June 2016 for Diplo certificate courses. For further information or to apply, click on the titles of the courses above, or visit our courses webpage. Register now to reserve your place.

Malta scholarships

Thanks to support from the government of Malta, partial scholarships are available for applicants from developing countries to attend upcoming Diplo online courses. These scholarships cover 50-70% of course fees and can be applied to any online course in 2015. Please browse our course catalogue and contact us at admissions@diplomacy.edu for further information.

WSIS Forum 2016: live updates and just-in-time session reports

The Geneva Internet Platform is providing live updates and just-in-time reporting from WSIS Forum 2016. The annual forum, co-organised by the ITU, UNESCO, UNDP, and UNCTAD, in collaboration with the WSIS Action Line Facilitators/Co-Facilitators, gathers the ICT for Development community. The forum is held at the ITU headquarters every year, and has proven to be an efficient mechanism for coordinating multistakeholder implementation activities, exchanging information, creating knowledge, and sharing best practices. It continues to provide assistance in developing multistakeholder and public/private partnerships to advance development goals. Session reports are available on the GIP Digital Watch observatory. A final WSIS Forum summary report will be available by Tuesday, 10th May. The Geneva Internet Platform is a Swiss initiative operated by DiploFoundation.

April’s issue of the Geneva Digital Watch newsletter

The April issue of the Geneva Digital Watch newsletter, published on 30 April, features an interview with Phil Zimmermann, the father of open encryption; an update on the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation, including the salient points and challenges; the latest cybersecurity competence building trends; updates from the Digital Policy Observatory for April and from Geneva-based events; and more. Learn more and download your issue.

Internet governance monthly briefings

In April, security, cyberterrorism, and sustainable development, were on the agenda of the G7 meeting in Japan, while the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers adopted the Internet Governance Strategy for 2016-2019. An increasing number of mobile apps and online services turned on end-to-end encryption, while in Europe, the long-awaited General Data Protection Regulation was approved by the EU Parliament. The April briefing on Internet governance discussed the developments in April; if you missed the briefing, download the IG Barometer, follow the briefing recording:

and download the presentation. Registrations for the May briefing, on Tuesday, 31st May, are now open.

Graduation ceremony for participants of the Geneva Internet Platform’s course on Internet governance

The Geneva Internet Platform is pleased to announce the graduation of its third group of participants of the Introduction to Internet Governance course. The graduation took place in Geneva on 27 April (view the photo gallery). Participants interacted online between 25 January and 21 March in an innovative learning environment, and subsequently applied this knowledge at face-to-face digital policy events. During the course, a total number of 596 contributions were made on the online platform. A similar just-in-time course will be delivered in 2017. Learn more.

Technical Innovation for Digital Policy

The conference on Technical Innovation for Digital Policy (Geneva, 25 April) brought together the technical community and policymakers for a discussion on technical solutions to pressing issues in digital policy. It included CyberLab demonstrations with Bjoern Christian Wolf, and discussions with key speakers including Adrian Perrig from ETH Zurich, Louis Pouzin from Open Root, Phil Zimmerman, father of Pretty Good Privacy, Marilia Maciel from the Center for Technology and Society of the Getulio Vargas Foundation (CTS/FGV), Richard Hill from Internet Society Switzerland, Michael Hausding from Switch, and Christophe Blanchi from DONA Foundation. The event report, session recordings, presentations, and photo gallery are available on the conference website.

WebDebate: Can we learn diplomacy from books?

Can we learn diplomacy from books? This was the main question discussed during the WebDebate for May, which addressed the skills which diplomats need to learn. The speakers – Mr Stefano Baldi, Minister Plenipotentiary and Training Director, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy, and Ambassador Milan Jazbec, Ministry of Foreign Affair of Slovenia – discussed academic training and skills which diplomats need to learn on the job. The interesting discussion was moderated by Diplo’s Dr Katharina Höne. If you missed the WebDebate, read the digest and follow the recording. Registrations for the next WebDebate, on Tuesday, 7th June, are now open.

Diplo’s partner ASEF announces a call for applications for Youth Model ASEM

The Asia-Europe Foundation, Diplo’s partner in the Asia-Europe Public Diplomacy Training Initiative, will organise a Model ASEM in Mongolia in July – a 3-day youth conference and political simulation of the actual Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit. It is a platform for political debate and negotiation where over 150 participants from the 51 ASEM countries have the possibility to experience Asia-Europe diplomacy through role-play exercises and practical training as well as meetings with the ASEM leaders of today. Through role-play, research, case-studies and practical training, students will enhance their diplomacy, negotiation, consensus-building, and public-speaking skills. Apply here.

Study: Cybersecurity Competence Building Trends

A team of Diplo researchers has conducted a study Cybersecurity Competence Building Trends in response to an inquiry by the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland. They collected and analysed experiences from several OECD member states that have systematically advanced cyber competence building. Since the findings might be of value to many other countries looking at strategic approaches for enhancing national competences, the results of the study have been made publicly available. The authors of the report, Vladimir Radunović and David Rüfenacht, presented the key findings during a webinar on 19 April 2016. Learn more about the study.