Pattern, Art

Asia-Europe Public Diplomacy

The 11th edition of the online course on Asia-Europe public diplomacy, offered as part of the ASEF Public Diplomacy Training (ASEFPDT11), will be delivered from 5 October to 10 November 2023. Please note that only applicants from the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) countries are eligible to attend this training. If you are not sure whether your country belongs to this group, please check this list.

YouTube player

The ASEF Public Diplomacy Training programme was set up in 2013 by DiploFoundation, the Asia-Europe Foundation, and the National Centre for Research on Europe – University of Canterbury, to help promote and facilitate skills training for diplomats and civil society actors. The aim of the training is to improve public diplomacy efforts between the countries of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) process.

Asia-Europe training

The programme utilises the findings of the existing ASEF dual perceptions studies, EU through the Eyes of Asia and Asia in the Eyes of Europe, in developing tool-kits and training modules focused on improving capacity among diplomats and civil society actors. The materials consist of vast amount of information that looks at how the EU is seen across Asia and vice versa.

Reviews

Asia-Europe Public Diplomacy

Text – Takahiro Hara

eMYS5ngt Takahiro Hara alumni reviewsThe ASEF Public Diplomacy Training was very practical and provided multifaceted perspectives and deep insight into the actual work. Experienced lecturers, their guidance, and the high quality of course materials gave me a lot of knowledge and awareness. Interacting with diplomats from across the region was exciting and invaluable. I believe the knowledge and skills acquired from this experience will be a solid foundation for my professional career.

– Mr Takahiro Hara, Deputy Director, Cultural Affairs and Overseas Public Relations Division, Minister’s Secretariat, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan

Text – Stacy Danika Alcantara-Garcia

Stacy Danika Alcantara Garcia alumni reviewsThe course has enabled me to revisit my country’s current public diplomacy challenges and to approach them in a different way. The innovative teaching style helped me strike a balance between learning from some of the most seasoned PD practitioners, while applying what I have learned in my work as a public diplomacy officer.

– Ms Stacy Danika Alcantara-Garcia, Third Secretary and Vice Consul, Public and Cultural Diplomacy, Embassy of the Philippines, United Kingdom

Text – Thomas Baumgartner

Thomas Baumgartner alumni reviewsThe ASEF Public Diplomacy online course is a great opportunity to learn about public diplomacy strategies and instruments in general, and their relevance for EuropeAsia relations in particular. Coming out of this course, I now have long ideas and to-do lists and I am looking forward to boosting my public diplomacy work with the many practical things I’ve learned.

– Mr Thomas Baumgartner, Counsellor – Head of Political, Economic & Cultural Affairs, Embassy of Switzerland, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Text – Bich Thao Bui

Bich Thao Bui - Diplo AlumnaThis course equipped me with the required knowledge and improved and fine-tuned my public diplomacy skills, which I continually apply in everyday situations of my work. The progressive structure, insightful lectures, supportive staff, and wonderful course mates make this a valuable course for me, both academically and personally, which helps me be more confident in furthering my career as a diplomat. I couldn’t have made a better choice and I highly recommend this course to anyone wanting to dive deeper into the field of public diplomacy.

– Ms Bich Thao Bui, Officer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vietnam

Text – Mads Mateusz Jaszczolt Fritzboeger

Diplo alumnus Mads Mateusz Jaszczolt FritzboegerThis course confirmed that effective diplomacy includes public engagement, digital presence, long-term networked relationships, and intercultural learning, all of which are essential constituents of the public diplomacy toolkit. By bringing together the latest research, competent practitioners, and qualified tutors, this inspiring and professional bi-regional dialogue proved to me again that public diplomacy is an inevitable component of effective contemporary diplomatic practice. This is something that is increasingly in demand when trying to address today’s challenges in multilateral governance. It is therefore with no hesitation that this rewarding experience has made me determined to devote my future efforts to the enhancement of multilateral cooperation through shared and mutual public diplomacy.

– Mr Mads Mateusz Jaszczolt Fritzboeger, Member, Danish Foreign Policy Society; Member, Royal Institute of International Affairs

Text – Sophany Outh

Sophany Outh - Diplo AlumnaThe online curse has improved my awareness and confidence in how to effectively conduct and attend online meetings and group discussions or assignments within different time zones and with participants located in Asian and European regions and beyond. The theories and practices of digital and public diplomacy will benefit my current position as a consular agent in Cambodian missions abroad.

– Ms Sophany Outh, Consular Agent, Consulate General of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Haikou City, Hainan Province, P.R. China

Text – Roel Markey

NwTkR6Qh Roel Markey alumni reviewsThe ASEF Public Diplomacy Training enabled me to engage with lecturers and participants from across Europe and Asia in a stimulating and multicultural environment. The multidisciplinary approach towards aspects of public diplomacy provided an enriching experience in acquiring new and useful insights into this subject.

– Mr Roel Markey, Desk Officer, Asia–Pacific Division, Federal Public Service for Foreign Affairs, Belgium

Text – Harriet Sexton Morel

Harriet Sexton Morel alumni reviewsThe course was very informative, incredibly relevant, and thought-provoking. The quality of the lecturers, their engagement, the presentation of materials, and the opportunity to interact with diplomats from across the region was invaluable. The knowledge and practical skills resulting from my participation in the course will be of immense benefit to my future career.

– Ms Harriet Sexton Morel, Second Secretary, Embassy of Ireland, Canberra, Australia

Text – Samnang Un

haYuoFYS Samnang Un alumni reviewsThis course gave me tremendous insight into public diplomacy and how to conduct a PD campaign in a receiving country. It is the most comprehensive and extensive online course I have ever joined. The course let me engage with high professional diplomats, professors, researchers, and other vigilant colleagues from both Asia and Europe. It is a very proactive way of building an intercontinental diplomatic network.

– Mr Samnang Un, ASEM Desk Official, Europe Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Cambodia

Text – Sabina Carli

s5WHf2QR Sabina Carli alumni reviewsI gained a broad set of knowledge, shared my experiences, and got new ideas from my peers from European and Asian diplomacies. My next task is to put them to use and I know I can rely on the support of the practically-oriented materials provided during the course.

– Ms Sabina Carli, Assistant to the Director-General for Economic and Public Diplomacy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Slovenia

Text – Andrew Sant Fournier

Andrew Sant Fournier Alumni ReviewsThe ASEF Public Diplomacy Training provided insight into a facet of diplomacy which is an often neglected but incredibly vital part of latter-day diplomats. This training was an excellent opportunity to enhance my skills in this field and learn about crucial tools such as nation branding, crisis communication, and strategy planning. Furthermore, the course allowed participants to network with other diplomats from Asia and Europe, building crucial connections that will enhance my professional career.

– Mr Andrew Sant Fournier, Second Secretary/Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade, Republic of Malta

Video – Usaphea Horn

Usaphea Horn video review

– Mr Usaphea Horn, Deputy Chief, Cambodian National Protection Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Cambodia

Video – Asami Takahashi)

Asami Takahashi video review

– Ms Asami Takahashi, Attaché, Embassy of Japan, United Kingdom

Video – Ugo Boni

Diplo alumnus video Ugo Boni

– Mr Ugo Boni, Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Italy to Kingdom of Thailand

Video – Theventhiran Arumugam

Theventhiran Arumugam alumnus video review

– Mr Theventhiran Arumugam, Assistant Director, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia

Stay up to date!

Subscribe to DiploNews and stay up-to-date with upcoming events, new publications and research, and courses and training.

The studies offer feedback from 18 different countries in Asia and Europe during a pivotal period for both regions. This feedback includes the results of public opinion surveys of over 16 000 respondents, the analysis of over 9,000 news items, and the insights from face-to-face interviews with over 450 influential figures in Asia and Europe. The course materials/tool-kits incorporate this rich set of data to provide unique insights for diplomats and professionals and help them develop a deeper understanding of current perceptions, and provide useful information for their work in promoting Asia-Europe relations.

The project brings together a panel of experts on public diplomacy and perceptions who developed training modules, sector specific course materials and tool-kits. To date, more than 300 participants split between 10 online courses and 8 face-to-face trainings attended the programme. The face-to-face trainings were held in Geneva (Switzerland), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Bangkok (Thailand), The Hague (Netherlands), Jakarta (Indonesia), Vienna (Austria), Siem Reap (Cambodia) and Budapest (Hungary).

Samnang Un, ASEM desk official, Europe Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation CambodiaThis course gave me tremendous insight on public diplomacy and how to conduct a PD campaign in a receiving country. It is the most comprehensive and extensive online course I have ever joined; it let me explore opportunities to engage with high professional diplomats, professors, researchers, and other vigilant colleagues from both Asia and Europe. It is a very pro-active way of building an intercontinental diplomatic network.
Samnang Un, ASEM desk official, Europe Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Cambodia

The project is supported by the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland and the Asia-Europe Foundation.

For more information, please contact Mr Andrej Skrinjaric at andrejs@diplomacy.edu.

Follow us on Twitter: #AsiaEurPD