Text – Takahiro Hara
The ASEF Public Diplomacy Training was very practical and provided multifaceted perspectives and deep insight into the actual work. Experienced lecturers, their guidance, and the high quality of course materials gave me a lot of knowledge and awareness. Interacting with diplomats from across the region was exciting and invaluable. I believe the knowledge and skills acquired from this experience will be a solid foundation for my professional career.
– Mr Takahiro Hara, Deputy Director, Cultural Affairs and Overseas Public Relations Division, Minister’s Secretariat, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan
The ASEF Public Diplomacy Training helped me connect the dots between my everyday communication work and the bigger picture of public diplomacy, giving me insights into how my peers approach it in their own contexts, as well as new tools (AI, social media, etc.) and fresh inspiration to develop Swiss public diplomacy work further.
The course has enabled me to revisit my country’s current public diplomacy challenges and to approach them in a different way. The innovative teaching style helped me strike a balance between learning from some of the most seasoned PD practitioners, while applying what I have learned in my work as a public diplomacy officer.
The ASEF Public Diplomacy online course is a great opportunity to learn about public diplomacy strategies and instruments in general, and their relevance for Europe–Asia relations in particular. Coming out of this course, I now have long ideas and to-do lists and I am looking forward to boosting my public diplomacy work with the many practical things I’ve learned.
The ASEF online course was well-paced, engaging and thoroughly updated. I could directly apply the concepts and skills I had learned to my daily work, and the assignments were valuable in reinforcing my understanding of public diplomacy and refining my skill set. What I found the most interesting was the introduction to AI and its implicit in public diplomacy practices. An excellent opportunity to expand knowledge and explore new possibilities!
This course confirmed that effective diplomacy includes public engagement, digital presence, long-term networked relationships, and intercultural learning, all of which are essential constituents of the public diplomacy toolkit. By bringing together the latest research, competent practitioners, and qualified tutors, this inspiring and professional bi-regional dialogue proved to me again that public diplomacy is an inevitable component of effective contemporary diplomatic practice. This is something that is increasingly in demand when trying to address today’s challenges in multilateral governance. It is therefore with no hesitation that this rewarding experience has made me determined to devote my future efforts to the enhancement of multilateral cooperation through shared and mutual public diplomacy. 
The online curse has improved my awareness and confidence in how to effectively conduct and attend online meetings and group discussions or assignments within different time zones and with participants located in Asian and European regions and beyond. The theories and practices of digital and public diplomacy will benefit my current position as a consular agent in Cambodian missions abroad. 
The ASEF Public Diplomacy Training offered profound insights into modern diplomatic practice, specifically addressing digital and AI diplomacy. It also facilitated valuable engagement with seasoned lecturers and a diverse cohort of participants. This type of specialised training is essential for fostering positive international relationships and elevating a nation’s global soft power and influence.
The ASEF Public Diplomacy Training enabled me to engage with lecturers and participants from across Europe and Asia in a stimulating and multicultural environment. The multidisciplinary approach towards aspects of public diplomacy provided an enriching experience in acquiring new and useful insights into this subject.
This course offered an exceptional blend of expert-led instruction and peer-to-peer exchange. Engaging with participants from diverse cultural and national backgrounds brought the course material to life and each session became not only a lesson in diplomacy but also an eye-opening exchange of perspectives. The conversations moved beyond theory, offering practical insights that enriched my learning experience considerably. 
The ASEF Public Diplomacy Training provided insight into a facet of diplomacy which is an often neglected but incredibly vital part of latter-day diplomats. This training was an excellent opportunity to enhance my skills in this field and learn about crucial tools such as nation branding, crisis communication, and strategy planning. Furthermore, the course allowed participants to network with other diplomats from Asia and Europe, building crucial connections that will enhance my professional career.
The course was very informative, incredibly relevant, and thought-provoking. The quality of the lecturers, their engagement, the presentation of materials, and the opportunity to interact with diplomats from across the region was invaluable. The knowledge and practical skills resulting from my participation in the course will be of immense benefit to my future career.
The training has been an exceptional opportunity to refresh and expand my understanding of public affairs and communication in a rapidly changing diplomatic setting. The focus on digital diplomacy and practical case studies helped me integrate innovative tools and strategies into my daily work, making my public diplomacy activities more effective and responsive.
I gained a broad set of knowledge, shared my experiences, and got new ideas from my peers from European and Asian diplomacies. My next task is to put them to use and I know I can rely on the support of the practically-oriented materials provided during the course. 
This course gave me tremendous insight into public diplomacy and how to conduct a PD campaign in a receiving country. It is the most comprehensive and extensive online course I have ever joined. The course let me engage with high professional diplomats, professors, researchers, and other vigilant colleagues from both Asia and Europe. It is a very proactive way of building an intercontinental diplomatic network.
The training was a valuable experience marked by high practicality and deep insight. It successfully integrated the core theories of public diplomacy with new diplomatic challenges in the current geopolitical context, particularly the impact of AI on humanity’s future development. The experienced mentors skillfully combined their rich personal experiences with professional knowledge in the high-quality lectures and feedback, while participants from diverse nationalities and regions provided an invaluable platform for interaction and exchange. I firmly believe that the comprehensive knowledge and skills acquired through this rare opportunity will lay a solid foundation for my professional career.
I expected a dull and glitchy online course, but it turned out to be the opposite: The sessions were dynamic, the exchanges rich, and participation effortless. The content was current and forward-looking. I recommend the ASEF Public Diplomacy Training to anyone working in diplomacy – and not just communication.
This course equipped me with the required knowledge and improved and fine-tuned my public diplomacy skills, which I continually apply in everyday situations of my work. The progressive structure, insightful lectures, supportive staff, and wonderful course mates make this a valuable course for me, both academically and personally, which helps me be more confident in furthering my career as a diplomat. I couldn’t have made a better choice and I highly recommend this course to anyone wanting to dive deeper into the field of public diplomacy.
