DiploNews – Issue 400 – 3 August 2020

Upcoming study opportunities

◆ Applications open! Master/Postgraduate Diploma in Contemporary Diplomacy
(€400 early bird discount)

Diplo is now accepting applications for the 2021 online Master/Postgraduate Diploma in Contemporary Diplomacy and the Master/Postgraduate Diploma in Contemporary Diplomacy with a specialisation in Internet Governance, run in co-operation with the University of Malta Department of International Relations.

During 16 to 20 months of online study, the programmes guide working diplomats, international relations professionals, and Internet policymakers through the theoretical and practical building blocks of diplomacy, with a focus on contemporary issues and challenges.

In response to the current global pandemic, the introductory workshop – traditionally offered in Malta – will be run online in 2021, eliminating the need for travel and reducing expenses for participants.

Scholarships covering 20%–50% of the Postgraduate Diploma fee are available for applicants from small and developing states. The programme starts on 25 January 2021.

Discount: Apply by 1 September 2020 and benefit from our €400 early bird discount.

For further information and to apply, please visit the Master in Contemporary Diplomacy webpage.

◆ Applications open! Diploma in Humanitarian Diplomacy (extended application deadline: 23 August)

We are now accepting applications for the next session of the online diploma course Humanitarian Diplomacy offered in co-operation with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

This highly interactive 13-week course, led by Ambassador Christopher Lamb and a team of experienced practitioners, extends the knowledge base and develops the practical skills of current and future practitioners in humanitarian diplomacy and policy.

The course familiarises participants with basic definitions, concepts, actors, and institutions in the field of humanitarian diplomacy, introduces international humanitarian law, hones advocacy and negotiation skills, develops participants’ research skills, and increases their understanding of national and regional humanitarian diplomacy activities.

The course is offered in English, however, participants have the option to write and submit major course assignments and the final research paper in French or Spanish. The next session starts on 14 September 2020 and the extended application deadline is 23 August 2020. Please visit the course webpage to read more and apply.

◆ Applications open! Autumn courses on diplomacy and digital policy (start: 5 October)

DiploFoundation offers a wide range of exciting online courses this autumn, starting the week of 5 October.

• Cybersecurity
• Economic Diplomacy
• Language and Diplomacy
• Negotiation Skills
• Sustainable Development Diplomacy

Apply by 3 August 2020 for the University of Malta accredited courses and by 31 August 2020 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.

Sign up for our courses mailing list to stay informed about upcoming courses.

◆ Need financial assistance? Scholarships are available.

Thanks to the support from the government of Malta, partial scholarships are available for applicants from developing countries to attend upcoming Diplo online courses. These scholarships cover 30%–60% of course fees and can be applied to most online courses in 2020. Browse our course catalogue and contact us at admissions@diplomacy.edu for further information.

What’s been happening in the Diplo blogosphere?

◆ Blog post: Diplomacy in times of COVID-19

COVID-19 measures have transformed diplomacy overnight, and diplomats are now facing unprecedented challenges. Ms Maricela Muñoz outlines the transformation of the diplomatic business as we know it, and offers some forward-looking reflections. Read the blog post

◆ Blog post: Artificial intelligence (AI) and the human condition

By lifting AI onto the pedestal of the future of humanity, we consent to delegate important functions of humans to more competent algorithms. Will AI replace God and create a vacuum in the human soul? Dr Petru Dumitriu discusses how AI might impact human brainpower, social equality, and faith. Read the blog post

◆ Blog post: HLPF 2020: Leaving the digital behind?

For the first time since its establishment in 2013, the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) was held virtually. Despite the fact that technology made it happen, it fell short on digital issues. Ms Nataša Perućica presents an overview of the debate on the digital during the HLPF 2020. Read the blog post

◆ Blog post: Schrems II – The judgement and initial reflections

On 16 July, the Court of Justice of the European Union invalidated the EU-USA Privacy Shield and confirmed the validity of the Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs). In this blog post, Ms Pavlina Ittelson writes about the implications of the Schrems II judgement. Read the blog post

◆ Blog post: Africa and Internet governance: At the table or on the menu?

African stakeholders face both domestic and international constraints in their attempt to join the Internet governance ‘power elite’. In this blog post, Ms Badriyya Yusuf offers a critical analysis of the multistakeholder model of Internet governance from an African perspective. Read the blog post

◆ Blog post (#humAInism): Transformation of Artificial Intelligence: A Villain Becomes a Poet?

Movies such as the Matrix trilogy depicted artificial intelligence (AI) as a villain that we need to defeat. But is AI cursed to play this role forever? In this blog post Dr Mirjana Petrović speaks about Microsoft’s China-based chatbot Xiaoice that successfully composed the first AI-authored collection of poems, and highlights that AI can be viewed from a completely different angle. Read the blog post

Don’t miss…

◆ Diplo receives honorary award from the Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute

DiploFoundation is the recipient of this year’s honorary award of the Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute for its contribution to the development and the consolidation of the institute. The award, bestowed every year to a Bulgarian recipient and to a foreign citizen or organisation, was presented to Prof. Jovan Kurbalija (Executive Director, DiploFoundation). Read more…

◆ Prof. Kurbalija quoted on ‘Pandemic Spurs Countries’ Action on Digital Divide’ by U.S. News

Prof. Jovan Kurbalija (Executive Director, DiploFoundation; Head, Geneva Internet Platform) was quoted in this article on U.S. News regarding the digital divide. Read the article

◆ Prof. Kurbalija quoted on ‘Lockdowns and closed borders pose challenges for international diplomacy’ by the Neue Zürcher Zeitung

In this article (in German), Prof. Jovan Kurbalija comments on the future of meetings and diplomacy. In his argument, Kurbalija explains that just as the United Nations Office in Geneva is open to all member countries, there should be a virtual public space to which everyone has equal access. Read the article