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21st Century Diplomacy online course

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Start date: 4 May 2026

Diplomacy in the 21st century is more proactive, multidirectional, and innovative than ever before.

Our world is increasingly interconnected, as demonstrated by the domestic impact of external issues. New subjects crowd the international agenda. At home and abroad, many actors participate in international affairs. Managing external affairs is more complex, involving focusing on performance and reaching out to publics. This course gives insight into the contemporary practice of diplomacy and deepens understanding of significant issues in diplomacy management. The course is practitioner-oriented, and participants should have some prior knowledge of diplomatic theory and practice. The course was originally developed in a shorter, self-learning format for the Canadian Foreign Service Institute.

Reviews

21st Century Diplomacy

Text – Shannica Plummer-Antoine

Diplo alumna Shannica Plummer-AntoineWith the advent of globalisation, diplomacy has been transformed both in content and nature. The course provided greater insights into the changes in international affairs that are the result of globalisation, as well as how foreign ministries have had to adapt to these changes. This course has also broadened my knowledge and enhanced my ability to reason.

– Ms Shannica Plummer-Antoine, Foreign Service Officer, Regional Unit, Political and Economic Division, Ministry of External Affairs, International Trade and Civil Aviation, Saint Lucia

Text – Rafael Barcelo Durazo

Diplo alumnus Rafael Barceló DurazoThe course offers useful and thorough insight into contemporary diplomacy for practitioners of this discipline. It conveys opportune reflections on the evolution of diplomatic tasks and encourages new approaches to diplomacy through intense feedback and benchmarking.

– Mr Rafael Barcelo Durazo, Chargé of Political and Human-rights Affairs, Mexican Embassy, Costa Rica

Text – Elizabeth Bailey

Diplo alumna Elizabeth BaileyThe course offered an opportunity to understand the impact of globalisation in diplomacy and in facilitating the greater use of information and communications technology. It also helped me understand how the public, who wants to have a say in diplomacy, can have better access to information. I particularly liked the area of public diplomacy and the importance of understanding sources, influences, and public contributions in diplomacy, and calls for the consideration of their views in making policies and decisions in diplomacy.

– Ms Elizabeth Bailey, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Department of External Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Economic Growth, Job Creation, External Affairs and Public Service, Saint Lucia

Text – Michael Bulwaka

Diplo alumnus Michael BulwakaThe course has helped me to redefine my role as a diplomat and to appreciate the emerging challenges and responsibilities of diplomacy today, including the role of new actors like NGOs, think tanks, and academics. I have learned to appreciate other stakeholders as partners and not competitors to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the conduct of foreign relations.

– Mr Michael Bulwaka, Foreign Service Officer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Uganda

Text – Lucila Del Aguila

Diplo alumna Lucila Del AguilaRich in substance and examples, this course offers a learning path of why and how diplomacy should adapt to a constantly changing world. It provides theoretical and practical knowledge, becoming an essential tool to all diplomats and others interested in diplomacy and its evolution.

– Ms Lucila Del Aguila, Economic and Commercial Attaché and Press Attaché, Embassy of Mexico, San Salvador, El Salvador

Text – Sheacoy Julio Walters

Body Part, Face, Head, Neck, Person, Happy, Smile, Photography, Portrait, Smoke PipeThe course has been exceptionally beneficial to my professional work. Its focus on digital diplomacy and global issues provided me with a deeper understanding of current diplomatic practices, which has enhanced my strategic planning and decision-making skills.

– Mr Sheacoy Julio Walters, Communication Officer Intern, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Consumer Affairs, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Video – Hans Tshinzela Mbale

Mr Hans Tshinzela Mbale (Minister Councillor, Permanent Mission of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the UN) shares his impressions of Diplo Academy’s 21st Century Diplomacy online course.

– Mr Hans Tshinzela Mbale, Minister Councillor, Permanent Mission of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the UN

APPLY FOR COURSE - €690Deadline: 13 April 2026

What will you learn?

  • Identify the defining features of diplomacy in the 21st century (or 'globalised diplomacy'), and the change factors – the volatile forces in the current operating environment which shape and force diplomacy to adapt.
  • Describe and analyse changes in the ways that countries deal with one another, including the new and changing roles of embassies.
  • Assess the role of new actors in diplomacy, in particular public diplomacy.
  • Identify and provide examples of different types of regional diplomacy groupings, and analyse the role, potential and opportunities of these new clusters.
  • Critically assess the movement towards foreign ministry reform, and the impact of performance management in foreign ministries and provide examples.

How will you learn?

In this course, you will interact intensively in discussions with classmates and lecturers from around the world. You will receive guidance and personalised feedback on your classwork from the course team.

How long will you learn?

The course lasts for 10 weeks:

  • 1 week of course introduction and orientation to online learning
  • 8 weeks of addressing the course topics one by one (see below for more details)
  • 1 week for the final assignment and completing pending tasks

Course lecturers

Body Part, Person, Shoulder, Face, Head, Photography, Portrait, Senior Citizen, Adult, Male, Man, Accessories, Glasses, Clothing, Formal Wear, Suit, Tie, People, K. Raghunath

Rajiv Bhatia

Distinguished Fellow, Gateway House; Former Indian Ambassador

Face, Head, Person, Photography, Portrait, Indoors, Adult, Male, Man, Hair, Attorney, Courtroom, Room, Clothing, Formal Wear, Suit, Crew Cut, Vivek Razdan

Amr Aljowaily

Director of the Directorate of Citizens and Diaspora at the African Union Commission

Who should apply

This course will be of interest to:

  • Practising diplomats, civil servants, and others working in international relations
  • Postgraduate students of diplomacy or international relations wishing to gain deeper insight through interaction with practising diplomats
  • Postgraduate students or practitioners in other fields seeking an entry point into the world of diplomacy
  • Journalists, staff of international and non-governmental organisations, translators, business people, and others who wish to improve their understanding of diplomacy-related topics

Overview

The course consists of 8 modules:

  1. Globalised diplomacy: A survey of the diplomatic process, with a special focus on factors driving change. We consider the environment in which foreign ministries operate; the enlarged, complex foreign-domestic interface; the consequences of the ICT revolution; human rights and the role of civil society; multilateral diplomacy; and human resource management.
  2. Regional diplomacy: This is a high growth area in external affairs, consisting of neighbourhood diplomacy, as well as 'plurilateral diplomacy', where groups build on principles other than geography. We examine the role, potential, and opportunities that these new cluster formats offer, as well as the typology and the innovation incorporated. We also study free trade agreements and the limitations of regional diplomacy.
  3. Foreign ministries: Change and reform: After the Cold War, and the onset of rapid globalisation, most foreign ministries engaged in adaptation and reform. We consider the motivation, the models followed, and the priorities in the content of reforms. We also examine new trends in the training of diplomats. We finally consider the pitfalls in the implementation of reform.
  4. The decision process, crisis and risk management: We examine the generic aspects of decision-making in foreign ministries, the decision categories, their practical application, plus crisis and risk management. In addition, we look at the various actors that furnish inputs into decisions, i.e. the official and the non-state actors, knowledge management, and building institutional memory.
  5. Performance management: In public services, performance management (PerM) is the new mantra; MFAs have no choice but to comply with new public reporting formats, 'output budgets' and the like. We examine the impact along three tracks: measuring the efficiency and effectiveness of the MFA and its subsidiary entities; application in human resource management; and performance reporting to publics. We consider the measurement criteria, the downside of performance management.
  6. The re-invented embassy: Thanks to the revitalisation of bilateral diplomacy, the embassy (and the entire diplomatic process) is in renaissance. We consider the new and the changed tasks of embassies, together with relevant examples, plus the caution that needs to be applied in the 'reworked' embassy-MFA relationship, under evolution in some leading countries.
  7. Diplomacy of small states: A survey of a little-studied, yet current topic. We consider the empirical evidence, the options that small states have developed, and their exemplars. We also look at small state diplomatic behaviour and the group diplomacy practised by small states.
  8. The public and image-building: We analyse image-building activities and the role of the public in foreign affairs. We consider the different models of public diplomacy, including the US experience. We look at methods of news management and the way the country brand is promoted. We consider the thesis that public diplomacy is now practised both abroad and at home, and centres on building and projecting a country’s soft power.

Methodology

The 21st Century Diplomacy online course is based on a collaborative learning approach, involving a high level of interaction over a period of 10 weeks. Reading materials and the necessary tools for online interaction are provided in a virtual classroom.

Each week, participants study and discuss course materials and complete additional online activities. At the end of the week, participants and lecturers meet to discuss the topic of the week. For successful completion, this course requires a minimum of 5 to 7 hours of study time per week.

Participants who successfully complete the course receive a certificate issued by Diplo, which can be printed or shared electronically.

Prerequisites

All course applicants must have regular internet access (broadband is preferred). 

Applicants for certificate courses must have:

  • An undergraduate university degree OR 3 years of work experience and appropriate professional qualifications in diplomacy or international relations
  • Sufficient English language skills to undertake postgraduate-level studies

Fees and scholarships

The fee for this course is €690. 

Note: Diplo alumni can benefit from a 15% discount on the fee for this course.

A limited number of partial scholarships are available for diplomats and others working in international relations from developing countries. Discounts are available for more than one participant from the same institution. 

You can apply for this course as:

How to apply

Fill out the short form to start your application process for this course. You will receive an instruction email on how to continue.

Applying for financial assistance? Please indicate this on the application form, upload your CV, and a motivation statement that should include:

  • Details of your relevant professional and educational background
  • Reasons for your interest in the course
  • Why do you feel you should have the opportunity to participate in this course? How will your participation benefit you, your institution and/or your country?

Please note that financial assistance from Diplo is available only to applicants from developing countries! 

Late applications will only be considered if there are spaces available in the course.

Cancellation policy

Diplo reserves the right to cancel this course if enrolment is insufficient. In case of cancellation, Diplo will notify applicants shortly after the application deadline. Applicants who have paid an application fee may apply this fee towards another course or receive a refund.



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