TRAINING
IN FOCUS: Digital Diplomacy – Contemporary Puzzles, Challenges and Trends
International pilot student training module
Developed within the project Digital Diplomacy: Building the Common Future with Technology (DD-Tech) funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ programme, KA203 Cooperation partnerships in higher education.
University of Bucharest, 12-16 June 2023
Credits: 3 ECTS
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)
All training sessions will take place in the building of the Faculty of Political Science, University of Bucharest (8, Spiru Haret st., Bucharest).
Social events and special sessions may take place at different locations in the city centre, announced in the final program.