Small/Developing State Scholarships
US$2,400
of $2,400 targetyrs ago
Successful on 16th Jun 2014 at 11:59AM.
You may have the image of diplomacy as an elitist world of secrecy and black limousines. But for centuries, diplomacy has been a system for maintaining relations among societies. Crucially, it is a tool for solving conflicts in modern society through negotiation and compromise, whether about war, water, or whaling rights. And, as the need to address the impact of climate change becomes ever more urgent, achieving global agreements rapidly and peacefully has never been more important.
But diplomacy is undermined by a fundamental imbalance.
Small and developing states are in a relatively weak position in the conduct of international policy processes; their limited resources mean that they do not have a large enough pool of confident and competent international relations professionals. As a result, small and developing states are not equally or effectively represented. For example, the voice of small island states, especially threatened by the rise in sea-levels, is often drowned out in large, international conferences.
For the last 12 years, the Diplo Foundation has been addressing this problem by helping small and developing states build the capacity to engage effectively in international policy processes, negotiations, and diplomacy through our long-standing, proven online training courses led by expert lecturers.
Online training allows course participants to study while remaining on-the-job. It can be combined with professional and personal responsibilities, allowing participants to update their skills and knowledge without the inconvenience of travel, and the loss of needed income through time away from work. Further, attending a short face-to-face training can be a stimulating experience; however, much of the knowledge gained is soon forgotten when participants return to their daily responsibilities. Online training engages participants in learning and discussion over a longer time period, allowing in-depth reflection on new ideas, and the immediate application of what is learned in the workplace.
We are developing our education and training programme into a social business. As a small, new Not-for-Profit organisation, Diplo has been supported so far by the Maltese and Swiss governments, as well as by specific project funding from a range of other public and private sector organisations. But these sources are volatile, and can be a constraint on the work that we do. We want to build up our education and training programme as a more independent business, where those who can afford it pay and those who can't are able to access support.
But diplomacy is undermined by a fundamental imbalance.
Small and developing states are in a relatively weak position in the conduct of international policy processes; their limited resources mean that they do not have a large enough pool of confident and competent international relations professionals. As a result, small and developing states are not equally or effectively represented. For example, the voice of small island states, especially threatened by the rise in sea-levels, is often drowned out in large, international conferences.
For the last 12 years, the Diplo Foundation has been addressing this problem by helping small and developing states build the capacity to engage effectively in international policy processes, negotiations, and diplomacy through our long-standing, proven online training courses led by expert lecturers.
Online training allows course participants to study while remaining on-the-job. It can be combined with professional and personal responsibilities, allowing participants to update their skills and knowledge without the inconvenience of travel, and the loss of needed income through time away from work. Further, attending a short face-to-face training can be a stimulating experience; however, much of the knowledge gained is soon forgotten when participants return to their daily responsibilities. Online training engages participants in learning and discussion over a longer time period, allowing in-depth reflection on new ideas, and the immediate application of what is learned in the workplace.
We are developing our education and training programme into a social business. As a small, new Not-for-Profit organisation, Diplo has been supported so far by the Maltese and Swiss governments, as well as by specific project funding from a range of other public and private sector organisations. But these sources are volatile, and can be a constraint on the work that we do. We want to build up our education and training programme as a more independent business, where those who can afford it pay and those who can't are able to access support.
How The Funds Will Be Used
Our target is to support participants in four online courses starting in late July 2014:
* Multilateral Diplomacy
* 21st Century Diplomacy
* Infrastructure and Critical Internet Resources
* Diplomatic Law: Privileges and Immunities
The funds will be used to offer substantial scholarships to diplomats, people working in international organisations, or NGOs focusing on diplomacy, international relations, and international development. The scholarships will cover 60% of the course fees, and recipients will be asked to cover the remaining 40% themselves. Our experience shows that commitment to online learning is increased with a personal financial contribution, even if it is a small one.
In awarding scholarships, priority will be given to applicants from the developing and emerging countries of South-East Asia and small Pacific Island States.
We have deliberately set our initial target low - at €1700, which will support the participation of four people in our online courses starting in late July 2014. But we very much want to generate a fund to support more scholarships, and hope that we will exceed out target - by a lot! All contributions will be used to provide scholarship support.
* Multilateral Diplomacy
* 21st Century Diplomacy
* Infrastructure and Critical Internet Resources
* Diplomatic Law: Privileges and Immunities
The funds will be used to offer substantial scholarships to diplomats, people working in international organisations, or NGOs focusing on diplomacy, international relations, and international development. The scholarships will cover 60% of the course fees, and recipients will be asked to cover the remaining 40% themselves. Our experience shows that commitment to online learning is increased with a personal financial contribution, even if it is a small one.
In awarding scholarships, priority will be given to applicants from the developing and emerging countries of South-East Asia and small Pacific Island States.
We have deliberately set our initial target low - at €1700, which will support the participation of four people in our online courses starting in late July 2014. But we very much want to generate a fund to support more scholarships, and hope that we will exceed out target - by a lot! All contributions will be used to provide scholarship support.
The Challenges
Like most small not-for-profit organisations, DiploFoundation has been dependent on donor funding, mainly from large institutions. Participants in our courses have benefited in the past from donor-funded scholarship. We have successfully reduced the proportion of our work funded by donors but it is precisely those from small and developing states who find it hardest to access funds for training. This scholarship programme addresses the risk that Diplo's courses increasingly serve only those from richer nations. Such an imbalance would reduce the value of the courses as an opportunity to learn from a richly diverse participant group.
So alongside this project, to raise scholarship funds, we are also seeking funds in other ways.
So alongside this project, to raise scholarship funds, we are also seeking funds in other ways.
The knowledge that you are strengthening diplomacy by contributing to the capacity development of international relations professionals in small and developing states. In addition, a personal thank you message posted on Diplo’s Facebook page.
2 chosen
Est. delivery is Jul 14
The knowledge that you are strengthening diplomacy by contributing to the capacity development of international relations professionals in small and developing states. In addition, a personal thank you message posted on Diplo’s Facebook page and sent out via Twitter.
2 chosen
Est. delivery is Jun 14
The knowledge that you are strengthening diplomacy by contributing to the capacity development of international relations professionals in small and developing states. In addition, a personal thank you message posted on Diplo’s Facebook page and sent out via Twitter, and a thank you postcard mailed from Diplo's Malta office.
2 chosen
Est. delivery is Jul 14
The knowledge that you are strengthening diplomacy by contributing to the capacity development of international relations professionals in small and developing states. In addition, a personal thank you message posted on Diplo’s Facebook page and sent out via Twitter, and a DiploFoundation memory stick (1 GB) containing a set of core Diplo resources.
4 chosen
Est. delivery is Jul 14
The knowledge that you are strengthening diplomacy by contributing to the capacity development of international relations professionals in small and developing states. In addition, a personal thank you message posted on Diplo’s Facebook page and sent out via Twitter. Your choice of one book from selected Diplo publications (list of available publications to be sent to contributor by e-mail).
3 chosen
Est. delivery is Aug 14
The knowledge that you are strengthening diplomacy by contributing to the capacity development of international relations professionals in small and developing states. In addition, a personal thank you message posted on Diplo’s Facebook page and sent out via Twitter. Two books of your choice from selected Diplo publications (list of available publications to be sent to contributor by e-mail).
0 chosen
Est. delivery is Aug 14
The knowledge that you are strengthening diplomacy by contributing to the capacity development of international relations professionals in small and developing states. In addition, a personal thank you message posted on Diplo’s Facebook page and sent out via Twitter. A discount of 20% on the DiploFoundation online course of your choice (does not apply to courses run in partnership with other institutions).
0 chosen
Est. delivery is Jul 14
The knowledge that you are strengthening diplomacy by contributing to the capacity development of international relations professionals in small and developing states. In addition, a personal thank you message posted on Diplo’s Facebook page and sent out via Twitter. One hour private online coaching session (via Skype) with a Diplo Faculty member on a topic of their expertise (list of available faculty members to be sent to contributor by e-mail).
0 chosen / 15 available
Est. delivery is Sep 14
The knowledge that you are strengthening diplomacy by contributing to the capacity development of international relations professionals in small and developing states. In addition, a personal thank you message posted on Diplo’s Facebook page and sent out via Twitter. Lunch with Diplo’s director, Jovan Kurbalija, in Geneva, and an autographed copy of his latest publication An Introduction to Internet Governance.
0 chosen / 2 available
Est. delivery is Oct 14