DiploNews – Issue 363 – 18 January 2019

Upcoming study opportunities 

Introduction to Digital Policy and Diplomacy – Washington, DC

This course will assist professionals in Washington, DC to actively follow the increasingly relevant fields of digital policy and Internet governance. The course will benefit individuals directly working or engaging with Internet-related policy fields (e.g. telecommunications, human rights, cybersecurity, trade, development). In addition to building their knowledge of digital politics, course participants will gain in-demand practical skills for staying abreast of digital policy processes ranging from global Internet governance architecture to privacy and data protection to cybersecurity. All course content is tailored to the DC policy environment. The course is organised by Diplo US in co-operation with New America. Due to the blended learning course format which includes weekly face-to-face meetings, registration for this course is open only to applicants available to meet weekly in Washington, DC. The course starts 19 February 2019 and the application deadline is 3 February 2019. Please visit the course webpage to read more and apply.

Capacity Development 

Capacity development has been emerging as a central approach within development for more than two decades. To help development professionals better understand and master this paradigm, this interactive online course introduces the key concepts, principles, and values of capacity development. The main focus is on building practical skills for better design, planning, implementation, and assessment of capacity development initiatives. The next session starts 18 February 2019 and the application deadline is 5 February 2019. Please visit the course webpage to read more and apply.

February 2019 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 5 February 2019 for Diplo certificate courses. For further information or to apply, click on the titles of the courses listed, or visit our courses webpage. Register now to reserve your place.

May 2019 online diplomacy courses

Starting on 6 May 2019, we offer courses on diplomacy topics, both classic and contemporary:

• Bilateral Diplomacy
• Diplomacy of Small States
• E-Diplomacy

Apply by 4 March 2019 for University of Malta accredited courses and by 1 April for Diplo certificate courses. For further information or to apply, click on the titles of the courses listed, or visit our courses webpage. Register now to reserve your place.

Malta scholarships

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 2019. Browse our course catalogue and contact us at admissions@diplomacy.edu for further information. You can also sign up for our courses mailing list to be informed about upcoming courses.


Science fiction meets policy | Policy meets science fiction

On 15 January 2019, the Geneva Internet Platform organised the event Science fiction meets policy | Policy meets science fiction to ask the question: What can sci-fi teach us about digital politics and its future? The event brought together two very different constituencies: sci-fi enthusiasts on the one side, and policymakers, diplomats, and international relations professionals dealing with digital politics on the other and created a safe and fertile place for thought experiments. The event was part of the series Geneva Digital Talks. Read the event summary in our blog post.

The impact of AI on diplomacy and international relations

On 28 January 2019, DiploFoundation and the Center for Data Innovation will reveal the key findings of the report Mapping AI’s challenges and opportunities for the conduct of diplomacy, commissioned by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, and discuss the need for further research, capacity development, and practice in the sphere of artificial intelligence (AI) and international relations with other stakeholders from government, the private sector, and civil society. The event will take place in Brussels. To find out more visit the event page.

Internet governance in January 2019

What were the main Internet governance updates in January? How will recent updates influence the developments in upcoming months? Join us for our next monthly briefing, on Tuesday, 29th January, for a round-up of the major global Internet governance and digital policy developments. Registrations are open.

What’s been happening in Diplo’s blogosphere

In Ten years of bitcoin and a look back at 2018, Arvin Kamberi looks at the bitcoin and blockchain developments that have taken place over the last decade, the rise of initial coin offerings, and the challenges faced when it comes to regulating blockchain technologies. In The right of consular access: Two recent examples, Alan Franklin discusses UN General Assembly Resolution 73/257 entitled ‘Judgment of the International Court of Justice of 31 March 2004 concerning Avena and Other Mexican Nationals: Need for immediate compliance’ which was passed at the request of Mexico. He asks what the passing of the law means in terms of granting prisoners that are foreign nationals consular access and whether this is an international human rights issue.