DiploNews – Issue 404 – 1 October 2020

Upcoming study opportunities

◆ Online course: ‘Online Meetings and Conferences: How to Run Effective and Secure Events’

Online meetings and conferences have long been considered as a poor substitute for face-to-face ones. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic and the responses from governments around the world, this view has changed. Online meetings are now a necessity for most organisations, and will be for a long while. The question is no longer ‘should we use online meetings?’ but rather ‘how can we use online meetings effectively?’ and ‘how can we blend online and face-to-face meetings?’

In this highly interactive, practice-based online course, participants will learn how to plan, manage, and run successful online events: choosing and using an appropriate technical platform, planning the entire process from the initial idea to the follow up, and effectively moderating interaction in an online environment.

The course starts on 15 October. Read more and apply by 5 October.

Full scholarships for this course are offered by the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.

◆ Applications open! Master/Postgraduate Diploma in Contemporary Diplomacy

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.

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

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.

Latest launches from Diplo and the GIP

◆ ConfTech’s e-library on the Future of Meetings

The transition from face-to-face to online and hybrid meetings raised many questions: How to moderate effectively online? What are the rules of conduct for online meetings? Which platforms to use? The Future of Meetings e-library can help organisations deal with such questions through a series of articles, how-to guides, and videos to make the transition to online and hybrid meetings as smart as possible.

◆ The humAInism Speech Generator

Powered by AI, our Speech Generator tool helps practitioners draft speeches on cybersecurity. The texts are based on Diplo’s expertise on the UN Group of Governmental Experts (UN GGE) and Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG), as well as our AI research conducted within the humAInism project. The tool additionally provides users with a comparison of the official positions of major actors on cybersecurity topics, and answers user questions related to cybersecurity. Check it out here.

◆ Help Desk for Inclusive Online Meetings

The new Help Desk provides countries and organisations with immediate advice on how to organise and run online meetings and events in an effective and efficient way. Its goal is to provide real-time assistance based on the specific needs and roles of the organisers.

◆ The Digital Watch Weekly Digest

The digital policy field is complex and increasingly challenging. What better way to keep track than to read bite-sized updates each week? Digital Watch is now providing weekly e-mail digests on developments that are making the headlines, and the impacts they have on global policy. It includes weekend reads, Editors’ Picks, and other relevant content. For more information on our October launches, check out our dedicated blog post.

Upcoming events

◆ WebDebate #42: How COVID-19 is changing diplomatic practice (6 October)

Since March 2020, the image of diplomats and heads of state and government at virtual meetings has become ubiquitous. In this WebDebate, we will take a closer look at how diplomats have adapted to the new circumstances over the past months, and how these changes might shape the future of diplomatic practice. Register for our Webdebate #42.

◆ Fourth Road to Bern via Geneva dialogue: ‘Using (big) data: Making data user-friendly’ (14 October)

The Geneva Internet Platform (GIP) is proud to be the co-organiser of the Road to Bern via Geneva dialogues together with the Permanent Mission of Switzerland in Geneva. The fourth dialogue, co-hosted by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the World Economic Forum (WEF), will focus on making data user-friendly. You can find more information on the official website.

Our recent events

◆ IG Briefing #68: Internet governance in September 2020

In our monthly briefing, we discussed the main Internet governance updates in September. Watch the recording.

◆ Right On Web Chat #12: ‘SDGs and Human Rights: Leading the way to COVID-19 response and recovery’

The 12th Right On discussion highlighted practical experiences and efforts to place human rights standards and the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) at the core of immediate responses to COVID-19 and of long-term recovery strategies. Watch the recording.

Blogs and publications

◆ Blog post: Zoom as a complementary teaching tool in DiploFoundation’s online courses

After introducing Zoom meetings as a complementary tool in two Diplo courses, Dr Andre Saramago discusses the pros and cons of using Zoom and video chat for teaching online courses. Read the blog post.

◆ Blog post: GPT-3 for diplomacy?

GPT-3 can mimic a variety of styles and genres, and return texts that look very much like they were written by a human. But can it deliver in terms of augmented and automated diplomacy? Will diplomats and human speech-writers be replaced anytime soon? Ms Katharina Hone discusses. Read the blog post.

◆ Blog post: ‘Speech Generator: Main AI technologies’

In his post, Mr Jovan Njegic explains the work behind the humAInism Speech Generator (mentioned above) by focusing on its three main purposes: semantic similarity search, generation of long-form answers, and text generation. Read the blog post.

◆ Blog post: ‘Innovation in online meetings: SEEDIG 6’

Ms Sorina Teleanu analyses the 6th South Eastern European Dialogue on Internet Governance (SEEDIG) as it moves online with the help of DiploFoundation’s ConfTech. Read the blog post.

Diplo team at external events

◆ E-seminar: Data Privacy and Protection in International Law (5 October)

Prof. Jovan Kurbalija (Executive Director, DiploFoundation; Head, Geneva Internet Platform (GIP)) will be a panellist at the Centre for International Law’s e-seminar which will explore data privacy and data protection in both the public and private international law spheres. More information on the official event page.

◆ IGF Italia: The ‘Internet Rights Charter’ and the report ‘The Age of Interdependence’ principles and challenges (La ‘Carta dei diritti di Internet’ e il report ‘The Age of Interdependence’ principi e sfide) (7 October)

During IGF Italia, Prof. Jovan Kurbalija will participate in a session on the Internet Rights Charter and The Age of Interdependence report. For more information, visit the official page and programme.

◆ WTO webinar: Trade implications of cyber-security risks and confidence-building (9 October)

Ms Marilia Maciel (Digital Policy Senior Researcher) will participate in the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) webinar titled ‘The Governance of Data Flows and Trade’. Participants of the session ‘Trade implications of cyber-security risks and confidence-building’ will discuss multilateral and regional approaches to cybersecurity, as well as cross-border co-operation for law enforcement and regulatory oversight purposes. More information on the official event page.