Goal

This one-week intensive module offers students from the 6 European universities that are part of the DD-Tech consortium the opportunity to explore the fundamental puzzles of contemporary diplomacy in digital contexts under the guidance of experts from both the academia and diplomatic circles.

Learning objectives

• understand how digital diplomacy relates to contemporary diplomatic work

• identify the milestones and major debates in the evolution of digital diplomacy 

• recognize in practical settings the main features of digital diplomacy 

• understand the basic advancements, debates and major stakeholders' interests in digital technology, as well as their impact on society and economy

• explore the major puzzles that digital technology generates for democracy, and reflect on on the role of digital diplomacy governance in the process   

Evaluation

Self-assessment quizzes after each topic and a final team project to be presented at the end of the program. 

Instructors: Teaching staff from the 6 partner universities, as well as guests from diplomatic circles and representatives of the digital technology industry 

Special keynote: Prof. Corneliu Bjola, University of Oxford

ACADEMIC TRAINING

Each topic includes a theoretical and conceptual introduction followed by a series of practical individual and team exercises.

1. New Types and Features of Diplomacy 

Introduction to the basics of contemporary diplomatic work, in historical, institutional, political, economic and socio-cultural contexts. More specifically, this section presents how, when and under which conditions modern diplomatic activities have developed, and which are the features and forms of modern diplomacy, as well as it introduces the field of digital diplomacy.

2. Shaping the Future: Trending Technologies

Introduction to the basics of contemporary technologies that have significant social, economic and political impact, with a focus on the new trends in technology such as big data analysis, cyber world, blockchain, Open Innovation 2.0, artificial intelligence, augmentative reality, social media analysis and ICTs.

3. Innovation, Digitalization, and Digital Culture

Presentation of the contemporary nexus between innovation, digitalization and digital culture, as well as the challenges and opportunities that derive from it, with a focus on how common global problems can use technology and innovation to find solutions for them and the different sectors that are impacted by such problems, identifying in the process the role of digital literacy and digital diplomacy.

4. Digital Diplomacy Governance and Transformation of Institutions

Exploration of the dynamics of contemporary global governance, as well as its relation to digitalization and digital diplomacy. The debates introduce the major concepts and debates on global governance, and the role and types of actions that the impact of the digitalization has on this changing institutional and normative context, with a specific focus on how digital diplomacy can mitigate some of the more difficult challenges.

Special professional events

• Roundtable on digital diplomacy challenges with career diplomats and stakeholders in the digital technology economy

• Book pre-launch of The Oxford Handbook of Digital Diplomacy (co-editors Corneliu Bjola and Ilan Manor)

• Visit of the Romanian Parliament

Optional additional activity

17 June: participation in panels with diplomats, hospitality industry, and other stakeholders, followed by an evening official opening reception as part of the pilot edition of the Bucharest International Gastro-Diplomacy (BIG-D) Fest (17-22 June 2023)

Participating universities

• Catholic University of the Sacred Heart Milan (Italy)

• Istanbul Commerce University (Turkey)

• Istanbul University (Turkey)

• University of Bucharest (Romania) 

• University of Ljubljana (Slovenia) 

• University of Tartu (Estonia)

The selection process and funding of the mobility are managed by the participating university for its own students and teaching staff. 

Preliminary program

Monday 9:00-9:30 Registration, 9:30-16:30 Training (coffee breaks and lunch on site)

Tuesday 9:30-15:30 Training (coffee breaks and lunch on site)

Wednesday 9:30-15:30 Training (coffee breaks and lunch on site)

Thursday 10:00-13:00 Visit of the Romanian Parliament, from 15:00 final preparation of team projects

Friday 9:30-12:00 Team presentations, 14:00-16:30 Roundtable on the current trends, opportunities and challenges of digital diplomacy and the IT sector (keynotes by Corneliu Bjola, University of Oxford, and Mihai Matei, President of the Employers' Association of the Software and Services Industry) at the Romanian Diplomatic Institute (17, Primaverii Blvd., https://goo.gl/maps/dHEUmbL5K7nGzueo9) 

Saturday (optional): 14:30-18:00 afternoon roundtable on needs assessment and trends in gastro-diplomacy followed by a reception (18:00 at Goethe Cultural Institute, 32, Calea Dorobanți, https://goo.gl/maps/riLbbqKHybAyNjNK9)