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DiploNews – Issue 90 – 5 October 2006

DiploNews – Issue 90 – October 5, 2006

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Last Call for Applications: 2007 MA/Postgraduate Diploma in Contemporary Diplomacy

The Master of Arts/Postgraduate Diploma in Contemporary Diplomacy is designed for diplomats, civil servants, employees of international organisations and others involved in international relations. The programme focuses on a broad spectrum of issues, including the work of diplomats in today’s world, new topics on diplomatic agendas and the use of information and communications technology (ICT) tools for diplomatic activities.

The programme is delivered through blended learning, taking advantage of the benefits offered by both traditional, face-to-face teaching, and online instruction. It is accredited through the Department of International Relations within the Faculty of Arts at the University of Malta.


The application deadline for the programme commencing in 2007 is October 10, 2006. For further information, and to apply, please visit the MA/PGD in Contemporary Diplomacy website.

Call for Applications: November 2006 Short Online Courses

We are currently accepting applications for the upcoming short online courses starting in September 2006: 

Courses are designed to allow working diplomats and others involved in international relations to continue their education by learning about new topics in the field of diplomacy, or expanding and refreshing their knowledge of more traditional topics. Courses require 10 weeks of part-time study, typically 6-8 hours per week. Successful participants are awarded a postgraduate level certificate from DiploFoundation.

The application deadline for courses beginning in November is October 30, 2006. For further information, click on the titles of the courses above, or visit the Diplo website.

Health Diplomacy

Diplo recently completed a pilot course on Health Diplomacy for a group of health workers from Serbia and Montenegro. The course followed Diplo’s blended learning methodology with an introductory workshop in Belgrade, online learning and a subsequent visit to Geneva. Participants were involved in the study of basic concepts of health diplomacy, online research and practical policy training in Geneva. Considering the growing importance of health in diplomatic studies, this course was launched and conducted within six months of its inception and was an experiment for Diplo. It successfully combined relevant research for national health issues with an introduction to the work of such international organisations as the World Health Organization (WHO). Promotion of contacts between participants and health specialists was one of the main objectives of this course.

For further information, please read the course report (PDF format).

Online University Courses

The University of California at Berkeley is using Google Video to deliver college courses, including lectures and symposia, free of charge. The University of California, Berkeley, a pre-eminent public research and teaching institution, offers numerous videos on sciences, technology and the arts. They include a large number of videos on Global and Public Affairs, many focussing on China-US relations. A Reuters article states that “As an initial offering, the university has put up a library of more than 250 hours of video for public viewing.” While this is good news, it is important to keep in mind the distinction between delivering interactive courses online, and broadcasting lectures.

More information and access to the videos is available at the Berkley Google Video page.

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