E-Learning

The hands-on reflection of this blog post distils a couple of key success factors from a mature example of a digital journey of the alumni community of the College of Europe, a leading postgraduate institute for European studies.

In recent years, DiploFoundation has received a growing number of calls from course participants to include video interaction in our online courses. This post reflects briefly on the use of Zoom meetings in Diplo’s online learning activities, and aims to inspire a wider discussion within Diplo’s community on the use of video chat.

On 21 September, DiploFoundation launched the humAInism Speech Generator as part of its humAInism project. By combining artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms and the expertise of Diplo’s cybersecurity team, this tool is meant to help diplomats and practitioners write speeches on the topic of cybersecurity. 

Unveiling a series of new events and tools for policy practitioners

There’s more than one reason why September feels fresh. The equinox marks a change in the seasons. Schools, offices, and parliaments resume their work, and the diplomatic calendar kicks off. But this year’s re-entry is like no previous one.  

A blog post from the perspective of a small state

I first saw the ad for the Master/Postgraduate Diploma in Contemporary Diplomacy while working in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh – the town that welcomed close to one million Rohingya refugees fleeing violence in Myanmar. 

If ever there was a time for governments to get their communications right, it is now. Governments everywhere are under scrutiny for what they say, how accurately they report facts, and what actions they are proposing. COVID-19 is spreading faster than press offices can get their messages out. Thanks to the Internet, the media and members of the public are posting stories which may not show governments in their best light. People need to know will they get sick, will they receive the treatments they need, and will they lose their jobs, their homes, their lives.

The coronavirus has been credited with catalysing a shift from a self-centred ‘I’ society to another-centred ‘we’ society. The focus on individual well-being and material wealth that has shaped many people’s identity and aspirations for the last half century or more has now turned into a concern for morality and the benefits of caring, sharing, and community building.

Digital tools have garnered substantial interest in the context of teaching and training in diplomatic practice. Tools such as video conferences, small online courses, and massive open online courses are changing the landscape of what is possible in the field. Conversations on digital tools for teaching diplomacy are important in order to keep diplomatic teaching and training up to date, offer the best possible experience for participants, and reach those that might have been excluded previously.