School of Modern Diplomacy

The art of diplomacy has evolved. In an age where 280 characters from a world leader on Twitter can give a green light to foreign military action or move markets, there is no denying that the classic notions of diplomacy – backroom handshakes between decades-long counterparts with a tinge of cigar in the air – no longer reflect reality.

What has taken its place is a modern, multi-level and multi-faceted approach that encompasses all the tools of the international and interconnected global sphere. Effective diplomacy now relies on the ability of a government to engage on numerous fronts and in numerous departments.

This programme, organised by UNU-CRIS and Vienna School of International Studies and in collaboration with the Department of Foreign Affairs of Flanders, Ghent University and the Brussels School of Governance (BSoG/VUB), aims to present the most comprehensive, in-depth analysis of and training in modern diplomacy, gaining insights from practitioners, academics and policymakers at the forefront of their fields and operating at the highest levels, on the different facets of modern diplomacy and how they are being employed the world over to shape ideas, discussion and the world we live in.

How will the new methods of modern diplomacy change the art of it? Educate and prepare yourself for this new age of diplomacy at the School of Modern Diplomacy.

 

"I liked the general organisation by the UNU-CRIS team, and most importantly the high calibre of experts who lectured during the school. Even the selection process of the participants was well thought-out, consisting of a vast array of professionals from all walks of life, and a true representation of the world."

- a graduate of the School of Modern Diplomacy

 

APPLY HERE

Schedule

This programme will be run virtually from 22 August 2022 to 02 September 2022 between 10:00 - 16:30 CEST (UTC+2) with breaks included.

It includes four sessions of 70 minutes, with morning sessions providing an academic foundation followed by more practical sessions in the afternoon. 

There will be several virtual social events, as well as discussion sessions at the end of each day so the group can talk through the main topics and themes of the presentations. 

 

Deadline for Applications and Selection Process

Applications are accepted on a rolling, first-come-first-served basis until 23:59 on 14 August. When the capped number of participant positions is filled, no more applications will be accepted, however strong applications after the cut-off has been reached will be placed on a waiting list and contacted should positions open. Applications will begin being assessed from 15 July 2022. 

The target audience for the School of Modern Diplomacy is primarily those in the diplomatic service or with aspirations to do so, policymakers, and academics.

Applicants must hold at least a master's degree. There is no time limit as to when the degree was obtained. 

The programme and assessment will be conducted in English, and as such participants are expected to have an excellent command of the English language

Applications (in English) must include:

  • A curriculum vitae
  • A motivation letter (max 2 pages)

 

Tuition

Fee

The tuition fee for the School of Modern Diplomacy is €1000.

A non-refundable deposit of €250 is required within two weeks of acceptance.

Full payment must be made within four weeks of receiving the acceptance confirmation email.

Both the deposit and the remainder of the fee can be paid together. 

Alumni of previous UNU-CRIS Summer Programmes (2019/2020/2021), students from Ghent University, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, any United Nations University education programme, and the College of Europe are entitled to a €150 discount on the full tuition fee. 

Discounts are offered for groups - for more information please contact adunn@cris.unu.edu

 

Scholarships

There are a strictly limited number of excellence and equal opportunity scholarships available. To be eligible, please clearly state your wish to be considered in a separate paragraph in your letter of motivation, outlining why you believe you should be awarded a scholarship.

The organisers wish to reiterate that these are extremely competitive and very limited in number, and therefore should not be counted upon when applying. 

 

Evaluation & Certification

Participants will be asked to undertake a written evaluation, the format of which will be announced in the week prior to the commencement of the programme. 

These written assessments will be evaluated by academic personnel from both UNU-CRIS and the DA Vienna, with those adjudged to have satisfied the criteria will be awarded a certificate.  

 

Cancellation Policy

More than 30 days before commencement date: no cancellation charges - deposit lost
Between 30 and 15 days before commencement date: 50% cancellation charges
Between 15 and 5 days before commencement date: 75% cancellation charges
Less than 5 days before commencement date: full fee lost*

All questions regarding the programme should be directed to the programme coordinator Andrew Dunn (adunn@cris.unu.edu) with Pascale Vantorre (pvantorre@cris.unu.edu) in cc. 

 

*negotiable at the discretion of the admissions board

 

Modules and Speakers

*more to be announced shortly

Philippe De Lombaerde

Director ad interim, UNU-CRIS

Susanne Keppler-Schlesinger

Deputy Director, Diplomatische Akademie Wien – Vienna School of International Studies

Robert Serry

First Ambassador of the Netherlands to Ukraine

Former United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process

Johan Verbeke

Former Belgian Permanent Representative to the United Nations

Former Belgian Ambassador to the United Kingdom and the United States of America

Alexander Hug

Former Principal Deputy Chief Monitor of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)’s Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (2014 – 2018)

Head of Mission of the Iraq Program of the International Commission on Missing Persons

Andrew Cooper

Associate Research Fellow, UNU-CRIS 

Professor, University of Waterloo

Andreas Sami Prauhart

Founding Partner, Y-Motions International

Lecturer, Diplomatische Akademie Wien

Mona Ali Khalil

Founder and Director, MAK LAW International

Former Senior Legal Officer, UN Office of the Legal Counsel (UNOLC) in New York

Richard Higgott

Research Professor, Institute for European Studies / VUB

Emeritus Professor, University of Warwick

Nancy Snow

Pax Mundi Professor of Public Diplomacy, Kyoto University of Foreign Studies

Lee Yoong Yoong

Director of Community Affairs Directorate, ASEAN Secretariat

Gloria Benedikt

Visiting Fellow, Institute for Human Sciences (IWM)

Glen Rayp

Professorial Fellow, UNU-CRIS

Professor, Ghent University

Samuel Standaert

Professorial Fellow, UNU-CRIS

Linda Yueh

Fellow in Economics, St Edmund Hall, University of Oxford

Chair of the LSE Economic Diplomacy Commission

Yu Jie

Senior Research Fellow on China, Chatham House
Associate Fellow, LSE IDEAS

Ulrike Ritzinger

Head of the Department for Business Services at the Austrian MFA

Former Consul General of Austria to the US (Los Angeles)

Mehari Taddele Maru

Part-time Professor, Migration Policy Centre, European University Institute

Lead Migration Expert and Chief Strategist, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)

Teresa Albano

Economic Affairs Officer, OSCE

Office of the Co-ordinator for Economic and Environmental Activities - OCEEA

Janina Stürner-Siovitz

Research Fellow, Centre for Area Studies, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg

Luk Van Langenhove

Founding Director of UNU-CRIS

Academic Commissioner for International Institutes and Networking, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Jenice Jean Goveas

STI Postdoctoral Policy Fellow at the Department of Science and Technology’s Centre for Policy Research, Indian Institute of Science.

Michaela Told

Co-Founder and Co-Director, HumanImpact5 HI5

Visiting Lecturer Global Studies Institute, University of Geneva

Thijs Van de Graaf

Associate Professor, Ghent University

Co-coordinator, Ghent Institute for International and European Studies (GIES)

Simon Schunz

Professor, College of Europe

Associate Research Fellow, UNU-CRIS

Nidhi Nagabhatla

Senior Research Fellow, UNU-CRIS

Jamal Shahin

Professorial Fellow, UNU-CRIS

Research Professor, Institute for European Studies / VUB

Jovan Kurbalija

Executive Director of DiploFoundation

Head of the Geneva Internet Platform

Tom Moylan

Adviser to Director-General for Communication

Former Speechwriter to the EU Commissioner for Trade

Noe Cornago

Professor, University of the Basque Country

Tomasz Kamiński

Professor, University of Łódź

Daniel Pejic

Research Fellow, Melbourne Centre for Cities at the University of Melbourne

Nahuel Oddone

Head of Promotion and Exchange of Regional Social Policies Department. MERCOSUR

Mona Ali Khalil

Founder and Director, MAK LAW International

Former Senior Legal Officer, UN Office of the Legal Counsel (UNOLC) in New York

Andrew Bradley

Chief of Staff, OACPS Secretariat

Associate Research Fellow, UNU-CRIS

 

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Andrew Dunn

School of Modern Diplomacy Coordinator

Policy and Communications Officer, UNU-CRIS

 

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