DiploNews – Issue 301 – 2nd June 2016

Upcoming study opportunities

Last call for applications: Internet Governance in the MENA Region online course

Emerging leaders from civil society in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region are invited to apply for the fourth annual online training on Internet governance, made possible by Hivos through the Internet Governance in the MENA Region IGMENA Programme. The course materials were developed and customised to the Middle East by IGMENA. The training programme is hosted and facilitated by DiploFoundation, the global leader of capacity development programmes on Internet governance. Tuition fees for successful applicants will be covered by a fellowship from Hivos. The application deadline is 8 June 2016 for the eight-week course beginning on 24 June. For more information and to apply, please visit Internet Governance in the MENA Region.

Online Diploma Course in Humanitarian Diplomacy
 
The next session of the Humanitarian Diplomacy online diploma course, offered by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in cooperation with DiploFoundation, will start on 5 September 2016. This 12-week course, led by Ambassador Christopher Lamb and a team of international experts, will extend the knowledge base and develop practical skills of current and future practitioners in humanitarian diplomacy and policy. This course is currently offered in English; however, participants who are more comfortable with French will have the option to write and submit some course assignments and their final research project in French. Partial bursaries are available for applicants from developing countries who work in the humanitarian field. The application deadline is 25 July 2016. For more details and to apply, please visit the course webpage.

Applications open for 2017 Master/Postgraduate Diploma in Contemporary Diplomacy

Diplo is now accepting applications for the 2017 Master/Postgraduate Diploma in Contemporary Diplomacy, and the Master/Postgraduate Diploma 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 the 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
• Internet Technology and Policy: Challenges and Solutions
• Multilateral Diplomacy

Apply 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 2016. Please browse our course catalogue and contact us at admissions@diplomacy.edu for further information.

WebDebate: Is research on diplomacy relevant and useful?

There is increasing interest among researchers of diplomacy to study the field from various angles, from legal aspects and governance structure, to anthropological and cultural studies. Researchers often look at whether, and how, diplomacy contributes to better global governance. Some deeper reflections focus on the importance of compromise – which is at the core of diplomacy – in modern society. The underlying question is whether this growing research opus is useful and relevant for a better understanding of diplomacy and its role in modern society. Is research on diplomacy useful and relevant? Is it helping us understand diplomacy and its role in modern society? Join us for our next WebDebate on 7 June with Prof. Alan Henrikson (Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy) and Prof. Yolanda Spies (Johannesburg University) who will share their rich experience in research on diplomacy. Learn more and register.

GIP Digital Watch presentation at EuroDIG

Next week, GIP Digital Watch online observatory will be presented in a flash session at EuroDIG in Brussels on 9 June, as well as in the pre-event on 8 June organised by the Global Internet Policy Observatory (GIPO) discussing complementarity with other observatory exercises.

Digital policy developments in May

The digital policy developments in May were the subject of the GIP monthly briefing on Internet governance, held on 31 May. Dr Jovan Kurbalija discussed the main developments related to sustainable development, cybersecurity, privacy, e-commerce, infrastructure, and other topics which were under special focus this month, and what we can expect in upcoming weeks. GIP hubs from Rio de Janeiro, Jakarta, and for the first time, Tunis, shared regional perspectives. The IG Barometer for May and the presentation used during the briefing are available. Registrations for the June briefing, on Tuesday, 28th June, are now open.

Issue 11 of the Geneva Digital Watch newsletter is out

Published on 31 May, Issue 11 provides the latest digital policy updates which took place in May. The highlights include an editorial on the importance of timely and effective implementation of the sustainable development goals (SDGs), describing the GIP’s initiatives during the recent WSIS Forum 2016; further analysis of the forum, which are in addition to session reports and a summary report prepared by the GIP earlier this month; a special feature on policy developments and initiatives undertaken to counter terrorists’ use of the Internet for propaganda; and a round-up of events which took place in International Geneva and the main global digital policy events in June. The Brazilian version of Issue 11, in Portuguese, will be available soon. Download your copy of the Geneva Digital Watch newsletter.