DiploNews – Issue 379 – 16 September 2019
Upcoming study opportunities
Digital Commerce (just-in-time Geneva-based course) – APPLICATION DEADLINE APPROACHING
This course aims to assist permanent missions and international organisations in Geneva to increase their knowledge and capacity to engage in digital commerce-related negotiations and discussions on the multilateral and bilateral levels. It provides an interdisciplinary coverage of e-commerce, from both digital and trade perspectives. The course is offered by DiploFoundation (Diplo), CUTS International Geneva, the International Trade Centre (ITC), and the Geneva Internet Platform (GIP). Due to the blended learning course format which includes weekly face-to-face meetings, registration for this session of the Digital Commerce course is open only to applicants based in Geneva.
The next course starts on 9 October 2019. Visit the course webpage and apply by 25 September.
2020 Master/Postgraduate Diploma in Contemporary Diplomacy
Diplo is now accepting applications for the 2020 Master/Postgraduate Diploma in Contemporary Diplomacy, and the Master/Postgraduate Diploma in Contemporary Diplomacy with a specialisation in Internet Governance. These unique postgraduate programmes, offered in co-operation with the University of Malta, include a 10-day residential workshop in Malta followed by 16–20 months of online learning. Visit the Master in Contemporary Diplomacy webpage to read more.
Scholarships covering 20%–50% of the Postgraduate Diploma fee are available for applicants from small and developing states. The programme starts on 3 February 2020. The application deadline is 15 October 2019.
Autumn courses on diplomacy and digital policy – application deadline extended
Diplo is offering a wide range of exciting online courses this autumn, starting the week of 8 October.
- Artificial Intelligence: Technology, Governance, and Policy Frameworks
- Cybersecurity
- Development Diplomacy
- Economic Diplomacy
- Language and Diplomacy
- Negotiation Skills (starts the week of 14 October)
Apply by 20 September 2019 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.
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.
Upcoming events
Digital [and] Diplomacy: How to deal with digital aspects of foreign policy
The programme has been set and attendance is expected to be numerous and varied for this event taking place on 18 September. Participants from all over the world are gathering in Geneva for the ‘Digital [and] Diplomacy’ conference, and our experienced speakers are ready to discuss and share their knowledge.
As issues that were once considered ‘techie’ or futuristic are now part of the diplomatic reality, the ‘Digital [and] Diplomacy’ conference aims to discuss approaches on how to conduct diplomacy in the digital age. Read more about the conference.
[Briefing] Internet governance in September 2019
What were the main Internet governance updates in September? How will recent updates influence the developments in upcoming months? Join us for our next monthly briefing on Tuesday, 24th September, at 11:00 UTC (13:00 CEST), for a round-up of the major global IG and digital policy developments. Registrations are open.
WebDebates are back!
Nowadays, the Internet and social media are increasingly informed by visual forms of communication, including photo opportunities, Instagram stories, and memes. In Visual digital diplomacy: Opportunities for diplomatic practice, together with Ambassador Stefano Baldi and visual communications expert Dr Massimiliano Fusari, we will explore the often misunderstood, and regularly overlooked, visual quality of communication as specifically applied to the field of diplomacy. By doing so, we aim to draw valuable lessons for today’s diplomats.
Join us on Tuesday, 1st October at 11:00 UTC / 13:00 CEST. Registrations are open.
Comment désamorcer les discours de guerre (How to defuse war talks)
DiploFoundation’s Head Jovan Kurbalija will take part in the debate on How to defuse war talks held by the Club suisse de la presse, on 20 Septmeber in Geneva.
22e Fête de la Presse & de la Communication.
Reporting initiatives
Last week, our team of GIP Digital Watch rapporteurs started reporting from the Open-Ended Working Group’s (OEWG) first substantive session in New York, USA. Reports are available on our dedicated page.
For more information about the OEWG and UN GGE, visit our dedicated processes page.
Our rapporteurs are also reporting from the 42nd session of the Human Rights Council, currently being held in Geneva.
Recent events
Ambassadors’ meeting
Newly appointed ambassadors to Geneva were given a warm welcome in an event organised by the GIP, together with the Swiss Mission to the UN in Geneva, and CAGI. The new ambassadors were introduced to Geneva’s digital policy scene, and had the opportunity to meet and network with established ambassadors. More details in this press release.
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Digital co-operation: Can Geneva make it a win-win?
The event involved a discussion with Brad Smith (President of Microsoft), Doris Leuthard (former president of the Swiss Confederation and former member of the High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation), and Amandeep Singh Gill (former co-executive director, Secretariat of the High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation). Jovan Kurbalija (Head of Diplo and the GIP and former co-executive director, Secretariat of the High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation) delivered the concluding remarks.
Read the full event report and watch the discussion:
Diplo at the ‘Regional conference on digital diplomacy’ in Jakarta
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Badan Ekonomi Kreatif, Pulse Lab Jakarta, and DiploFoundation co-organised the ‘Regional conference on digital diplomacy – Digital diplomacy: Challenges and opportunities’ in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Watch Jovan Kurbalija’s video intervention for this event: Digital Policy and AI:
What’s been happening in Diplo’s blogosphere
Inspired by Kissinger’s famous question ‘Who do I call if I want to call Europe?’ and the growing number of calls for action (Paris Call, Christchurch Call), Jovan Kurbalija addresses three key questions in his latest blog post Digital governance: Who is picking up the phone?
- Who should respond to digital policy calls?
- How should responses be handled?
- Where should responses be developed?
Building on the work of the UN High-Level Panel on Digital Cooperation where he was co-executive director of the Secretariat, Kurbalija provides concrete suggestions.
In another blog post, Katharina Hone and Marilia Maciel go through the Lessons learned: Offering our course on AI for the first time. The course will start its second cycle in October. Registrations are open.