Text – Laura Temesi
This course has given me the confidence to engage better in my current role which focuses on cyber advocacy and thought leadership. I am even more excited and keen to delve further into cyber and diplomacy now that I am better informed about the current environment in which diplomacy is conducted and how the internet has impacted this environment. The delivery of the content was well executed and it was refreshing to see the depth and experience brought to the conversations by the lecturers and other course participants.
– Ms Laura Temesi, Head, Cyber Partnerships and Communication, Standard Chartered Bank – Group, Kenya
The course breaks new ground in addressing the foremost challenges facing international relations in the digital era. It provides an overarching insight into the organisation of communication functions of 21st century diplomacy through a focused and practice-oriented online tuition programme, enriched through the wealth of personal knowledge and experiences of participating professionals with diverse multicultural background.
The course has been an enriching experience, equipping me with the necessary tools to thrive in the rapidly evolving digital age of diplomacy, and it has already proven to be an invaluable asset to my professional development. The hands-on modules on AI applications in diplomacy opened up new possibilities for enhancing diplomatic processes and decision-making. Learning about AI-driven data analysis and its role in shaping foreign policy allowed me to implement data-driven strategies.
I believe that we have a social responsibility to share what we know for achieving better public health. The course not only helped me gain new knowledge and expand my personal networks, but also to reflect on how important ICTs are for diplomacy, in particular global health diplomacy.
The course was a great opportunity to explore different social media tools in a safe environment. It allowed me to actively interact with people from around the world which provided a rich and diverse insight into their work as diplomats from other countries and organisations. It was very dynamic, interactive, and fun!
The course’s workload fit well into my busy schedule and I was able to almost immediately put to use the new skills and knowledge I acquired. Weekly lectures are extremely informative and present a wealth of current knowledge about e-diplomacy. The corresponding weekly assignments allow students to demonstrate their understanding of the acquired information, and we were strongly encouraged to apply that knowledge as it relates to our own work experiences. What’s great about this programme is that you can study at your own pace, but also have a weekly check-in with other students that come from all over the world.
I’ve been involved in developing and delivering policy-related learning and capacity building for several years. This time, I was a student. What an engaging experience! I learned a lot from my fellow students. The course interdisciplinary (gender-balanced and age-diverse!) team have created an innovative educational programme that provides students with the skills needed to participate in global political processes. Kudos!
The most useful aspect of the course was understanding the importance of e-tools in the work of diplomats and government agencies. If diplomatic actors understood the benefits social media and e-tools can bring to their everyday work, life would be much easier. The feedback from both the course organisers and participants was very enriching. The analysis of a social media strategy with a practical purpose made the course more useful.
