Cosmopolitan Communication: Connecting across Diplomats, Business Leaders and Civil Society Actors
Nowadays, as a result of the globalisation process, individuals and organizations constantly need to be engaged in developing their cross-cultural competences in order to operate effectively in a multilateral setting and avoid barriers, misunderstandings and prejudices in negotiation and mediation processes. Moreover, the understanding of cultural differences enhances the interactions within international relations and consequently leads to more constructive outcomes.
The general objective of this e-learning course is to reinforce the knowledge on the processes of communication, to enhance cultural awareness and understand the differences in communication among various cultures. Additionally, it will explore tools and techniques to effectively manage constructive conversations in an intercultural environment.
After this course the participants will be able to:
- Describe and identify the different types of cosmopolitan communication
- Apply tools and techniques for effective cosmopolitan communication
- Identify, explain and react to cultural communication patterns and features
- Identify and overcome communications barriers and thus be able to act confidently in an intercultural setting
The course content will include the following content:
- General Knowledge about Communication
- Concepts of Culture
- Interpersonal Communication
- Bridges and Barriers to Cosmopolitan Communication
e-Learning: The course is internet-based, moderated by senior international experts, asynchronous, and places emphasis on online discussions and self-paced learning. The participants will be primarily responsible for their own learning over the four-week span of the course. The course will consist of the following components:
- Compulsory and optional reading material, intended to teach the basic concepts and principles of the lesson's subject-matter;
- External links to additional books, articles, documents, and websites related to the lessons;
- Quizzes and case studies at the end of each module. To be eligible for the course certificate, a passing grade of 80% on both quizzes and case studies is required;
- A Community Discussion Board will be available for participants to post questions or comments visible to the instructor and other participants. This discussion board will be moderated by the course director and UNITAR;
- Estimated learning time: minimum of 30 hours;
- Participants will be eligible to receive a certificate after the successful completion of the course.
The course targets mid to senior-level governmental officials as well as staff of intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations. It also targets entry-level and mid-career diplomats and private and public sector specialists. Postgraduate students with relevant experience in multicultural working environment are also encouraged to apply.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Participants applying for this course and the course on Cultural Diplomacy in a Multipolar World can benefit from a reduced price (30% discount in the second course) if they take both courses simultaneously.
We highly recommend credit card payments.Participants from Least Developed Countries (LDCs) are eligible to apply for a fellowship. Please consult the Multilateral Diplomacy Programme website for more details.
Registration will be closed as soon as the course is full and your place will be secured once your payment is confirmed.
For more information, please consult the UNITAR Multilateral Diplomacy Programme website or contact mdp-elearning [at] unitar.org (mdp-elearning[at]unitar[dot]org)
Technical Requirements
UNITAR recommends the following as a minimum in hardware and software to take our e-Learning courses. Please consult your Network Administrator or Systems person to ensure that you have the following:
- Platform: Windows 95, 98, 2000, NT, ME, XP or superior; MacOS 9 or MacOS X; Linux
- Hardware: 64 MB of RAM, 1 GB of free disk space
- Software:
- Adobe Acrobat Reader (click here to download for free)
- Adobe Flash Player (click here to download for free)
- Microsoft Office (Windows or Mac) or Open Office (click here to download for free)
- Browser: Internet Explorer 7 or higher (click here to download for free); it works better with Firefox 3.6 or higher (click here to download for free)
- Note that JavaScript, Cookies and Pop-ups must be enabled