European Science Diplomacy Online Course

Who?

If you are any of the professionals listed below, or simply a student interested in science diplomacy, this is the right online course for you!

• Diplomat/ Embassy staff
• Science and Technology Counsellor/ Attaché/ Science adviser
• Funding manager
• European Union civil servants, representatives of the European External Action Service (EEAS), policy officers, etc.
• National civil servants in ministries and agencies
• Coordinator of an EU project (e.g. Horizon Europe)
• Scientists in research organisations, universities and enterprises

Where?

This S4D4C European Science Diplomacy Online Course is available on our website and you can complete it from your home, study room, office, library or anywhere.

When?

Although the course (learning modules 2-7) takes approximately 15 hours, you are the master of your own time! After creating your user profile the platform saves the progress of your learning automatically, so next time you log in just continue wherever you left it in your previous session.

Why?

This S4D4C European Science Diplomacy Online Course benefits from a theoretical as well as a practical dimension. It will allow you to:

• Get familiar with the international science system.
• Get familiar with the international policy system.
• Understand the complex interface between science, diplomacy, and international policy.
• Hear about European and national practices of science diplomacy.
• Learn about thematic examples and cases in science diplomacy
• Improve your soft and transferable skills.

Once you have completed the online course, you will automatically receive a personalised certificate.

What?

This S4D4C European Science Diplomacy Online Course is completely free of charge for you. The launching of the platform has been funded within the EU project S4D4C by the European Commission. The successful completion of the course is awarded by a personalised certificate. Our online course offers you eight modules, in which six modules (2-7) include the learning content:

• Module 1: How to Get Started? This module aims to advise you how to use the S4D4C online platform. It does not contain learning material.

• Module 2: What Is Science Diplomacy? This module sets the context of the state of the art in science diplomacy, conceptual approaches, type of professionals involved, critical aspects etc.

• Module 3: Who Are the Science Diplomacy Stakeholders? It briefly describes stakeholders and networks in science diplomacy at the local, national, regional and global level.

• Module 4: How Does the European Union Practice Science Diplomacy? The aim of this module is to focus on the current state of science diplomacy within the European Union (EU), understanding the political structure of the EU, the EU science and innovation system and lastly the science diplomacy ecosystem.

• Module 5: What National, Regional, and Thematic Approaches of Science Diplomacy Exist? This module gives you an overview of different science diplomacy strategies and instruments across countries, regions, and topics (food security, water, health) of interest around the world.

• Module 6: What Set of Skills Do I Need to Be a Good Science Diplomat? This module helps you to reflect on your own skills and to identify those you need to improve to be effective in science diplomacy.

• Module 7: Hands on! Case Studies. This module gives you practical insights into science diplomacy cases and summarises the main findings of the empirical analysis undertaken by the two EU projects, S4D4C and InsSciDE.
• Module 8: How Can You Dive Deeper into the Topic? This module contains a list with additional references to deepen your knowledge in the field of science diplomacy. This content is voluntary but it needs to be marked as “complete” to pass your course.