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DiploNews – Issue 416 – 5 April 2021

Upcoming study opportunities

 New course: Cybersecurity Diplomacy

Cyber(in)security impacts international peace and stability, as well as sustainable development, human rights, and the global digital business environment. Our new course on Cybersecurity Diplomacy will help equip professionals to become actively involved in cybersecurity negotiations and processes.

Compared to our annual course on Cybersecurity, which focusses on policy issues, this new course focuses in depth on the risks of cyber-conflict and the related international negotiations. Like all our courses, this course is highly interactive. It requires 3 to 4 hours of study time per week.

The course starts on 17 May 2021. Visit the course webpage to read more and apply by 1 May. 

◆ May 2021 online courses

Our next course session starts on 10 May 2021. Register now to reserve your place in our popular courses:

Apply by 5 April 2021 for Diplo certificate courses. For further information or to apply, click on the titles of the courses above or visit our courses webpage.

◆ Need financial assistance? Scholarships are available.

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 30%–60% of course fees and can be applied to most online courses in 2021. Browse our course catalogue and contact us at admissions@diplomacy.edu for further information.

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

Upcoming events

◆ WebDebate #46: Unpacking the EU’s digital diplomacy and foreign policy (6 Apr.)

Following the successful online conference 2021: The emergence of digital foreign policy, the April WebDebate will take a closer look at developments at the level of the European Union with regards to digital diplomacy and digital foreign policy. Join us on Tuesday, 6th April, 12:00 UTC (14:00 CEST). Register now!

◆ 12 Tours to Navigate Digital Geneva: Digital economy: Trade and finance tour (21 Apr.)

The third of 12 Tours to Navigate Digital Geneva, organised by the Geneva Internet Platform, will take us on a journey into Geneva’s Digital Economy: Trade and Finance. We will cover the work of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the World Economic Forum (WEF), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), and others. Register now!

Main takeaways from our recent events

◆ Webinar: ‘Ancient diplomacy: What can it teach us?’

In the third session of our monthly Zoom series Diplomacy and Technology: A historical journey, Dr Jovan Kurbalija focused on ancient diplomacy. Topics discussed included the geopolitics of the ancient world, writing as the key ancient diplomatic ‘technology’, various ancient diplomacies, and beer! The summary, recording, and podcast are now available.

◆ Briefing #73: Internet governance in March 2021 

In the latest monthly briefing, we had the pleasure to be joined by Ambassador Jurg Lauber, Chair of the UN Cyber OEWG. While we offered an analysis of the month’s digital policy highlights, Ambassador Lauber provided insights into the landmark final report of the UN Cyber OEWG. Watch the recording.

◆ Road to Bern via Geneva: ‘Fifth dialogue: On Data and Tech4Good’

The fifth dialogue, titled ‘The Power of Data for Development: Technology Transfer for Development’ opened a discussion on data and technology for development, best practices, tools to facilitate inclusion, the role of the private sector, and more. Read the summary.

◆ 12 Tours to Navigate Digital Geneva: Digital standardisation tour – Summary report

The Digital Standardisation and Technology Tour discussed digital standards, collaboration between key players, and transparency in standard-setting processes. It also provided suggestions for ways to move forward. Read the summary.

Blogs and publications

◆ Blog: One year of the ‘new normal’

Communication and work over the internet have taken a completely new meaning in the past 12 months. In his blog post, Arvin Kamberi talks about the lessons learned in the past year on online platforms and online working spaces. Read the blog post!

◆ Blog: UN Cyber OEWG final report analysis

The final report of the UN Cyber OEWG is the first report on cybersecurity adopted by consensus in the UN group in the past six years!

We have analysed the report in two blog posts:

For more information on the UN GGE and OEWG, visit the dedicated page.

◆ Topic page: Future of meetings

In December 2019, Zoom reported 10 million daily users. Three months later, the number of Zoom daily participants jumped to more than 300 million. Nowadays we talk about ‘Zoom fatigue’! Have a look at our new page dedicated to the future of meetings, which also includes a section on technology and security of online platforms, and the importance of social interaction. Check it out!

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