DiploNews – Issue 267 – 7 January 2015

Last chance to apply

Online Diploma Course in Humanitarian Diplomacy

The next session of the Humanitarian Diplomacy online diploma course, offered by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in cooperation with DiploFoundation, will start on 23 February 2015. This 12-week course, led by Ambassador Christopher Lamb, will extend the knowledge base and develop practical skills of current and future practitioners in humanitarian diplomacy and policy. This course is currently offered in English; however participants who are more comfortable with French will have the option to write and submit some course assignments and their final research project in French. The application deadline is 12 January 2015. For more details and to apply, please visit the visit the course webpage.

February 2015 online diplomacy courses

Start the new year with one of our most popular online courses:

• Diplomatic Theory and Practice
• Public Diplomacy
• Introduction to Internet Governance

Apply by 12 January 2015 for Diplo certificate courses. For further information or to apply, click on the titles of the courses above, or visit our courses webpage. Register now to reserve your place.

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

GIP timeline of Internet Governance

Event in Geneva: Cybersecurity – a strategic view

The Geneva Internet Platform, in co-operation with the Permanent Mission of Finland to the UN, DCAF, the GCSP, DiploFoundation, and other partners, is organising a series of events throughout 2015, entitled Geneva Cybersecurity Days. The series will bring together representatives of states; international organisations; experts; the corporate, academic, and technical sectors; and civil society to discuss various challenges at national, regional, and global level related to cybersecurity. The Geneva Cybersecurity Days should increase awareness and further develop a global response to cybersecurity challenges along the lines of the Geneva Message on Strengthening Internet Governance. The first Geneva Cybersecurity Day will take place on 15 January.
 

New policy brief: Promotion methods in foreign ministries

We are happy to announce the publication of Diplo’s second policy brief. In it, Ambassador Kishan S. Rana looks at Promotion methods in foreign ministries and makes three crucial suggestions for improvement. Rana argues that many countries are yet to establish proper methods of promotion, a lack of which undermines professionalism and morale. He advocates for a shift from seniority-based promotions to performance-based promotions and stresses that while acknowledging the tradition and ethos of each country, ministries of foreign affairs need to look at and learn from best practices. In supporting these points, Rana draws on a wealth of examples from India, Brazil, China, Peru, Singapore, Mexico, China, Japan, Germany, Australia, the UK, and the USA. Read Kishan S. Rana’s policy brief for the full picture. 

If you would like to get in touch with the author to add your thoughts, share your own experiences with promotion methods, or if you have questions, please feel free to contact Ambassador Rana directly. He welcomes comments and critique to be sent to kishanrana@gmail.com
 

Asia-Europe Public Diplomacy Training Initiative: training session in Kuala Lumpur

The Asia-Europe Public Diplomacy Training Initiative will hold a face-to-face training session on Asia-Europe relations and public diplomacy in Malaysia on 10-12 March 2015. The call for applications for the second face-to-face training is now open. Please note that this call is open only to Asia-Europe Meeting countries nationals, and that the priority will be given to candidates nominated by the ministries of foreign affairs of the ASEM countries. For more information, please contact Mr Andrej Skrinjaric at andrejs@diplomacy.edu
 

Webinar: Internet governance in 2015

The NETmundial meeting and the IANA transition process dominated most of the 2014 developments, while others helped shape the Internet governance debate. 2015 will be a decisive year in which stakeholders  agree on post-2015 agendas. What can we expect in the coming months, and which issues are likely to be a priority? The beginning of every year presents a good opportunity to reflect on the previous year and make predictions. Join us online on 27 January 2015 for the annual ‘crystal ball’ exercise with Diplo director Dr Jovan Kurbalija. If you’re in Geneva, join us in situ at 7 bis Avenue de la Paix, Geneva (WMO building, 2nd floor). Read more and register here.
 

Discussing Internet governance

Cybercrime is getting more complex and sophisticated, and evidence of cybersecurity threats and (un)successful responses are scarce and discomforting, warns Vladimir Radunovic, in Welcome 2015 ‒ a year of cyber(in)security. Will 2015 offer any relief? Possibly…

Meanwhile, in an update from the Bitcoin and cryptocurrency world right before Christmas, Diplo’s Simona Cioroiu had a look at shopping with Bitcoin, as more and more businesses are accepting cryptocurrencies as payment for their products.

On Diplo’s IG community space, Hafedh Al Yahmadi discusses Tunisia’s participation in the third Arab IGF, held recently in Beirut. Hamza Ben Mehrez makes a case for attracting civil society tech talent through public private partnership, while in a blog post in French, Mamadou LO discusses multilingualism as an important development factor of the Internet.

Follow more IG-related news and discussions on Diplo’s Internet governance channel, and on Diplo’s IG community blog roll.