UNITAR's Executive Summer Programme on Innovations in Science Diplomacy will triangulate education, research and leadership. It will aim to educate the next generation of leaders in the field of science diplomacy and technology; facilitate research with questions and data that generate actions with evidence and options that contribute to informed decision-making; and provide leadership with science-diplomacy networks that build common interests across our globally-interconnected civilization.

This Programme was initiated by the Science Diplomacy Center and is run in collaboration with the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of Massachusetts Boston (UMass Boston), Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University (BU),  the Science Diplomacy Center and Swissnex in Boston.

The resource persons/trainers are experts in the field of science diplomacy and technology coming from both academic and policy circles:

• Professor Paul Berkman, Associated Fellow, UNITAR / Faculty Associate, Program on Negotiation (PON) at the Harvard Law School / Associate Director of Science Diplomacy, Harvard-MIT Public Disputes Program
• Professor Larry Susskind, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) 
• Professor Maria Ivanova and Dean David W. Cash, University of Massachusetts (UMass) - John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies
• Professor Dean Adil Najam, Boston University (BU)  - Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University 
• Mr. Jonas Brunschwig, Deputy CEO of Swissnex in Boston

At the end of the Programme, participants should be able to:

• Explain the relationship between science diplomacy theory and practice;
• Apply negotiation skills with common-interest building and conflict resolution as complementary approaches;
• Develop effective communication skills, including policy-memo writing and interview-response speaking;
• Integrate evidence and options that contribute to informed decision-making with governance mechanisms and built infrastructure as well as their coupling for sustainability and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals; 
• Contribute as a ‘science diplomat’ with balance for the benefit of all at local-global and global-local levels.

Tentative Agenda

• Day 1 - Understanding Science Diplomacy
  • Setting-up:
    • People
    • Topics
    • Frameworks
• Day 2 -Setting Up The Challenge
  • Making the case for "holistic integration"
• Day 3 - Science in Treaty-Making: Experience
  • How treaty-making works?
• Day 4 - Science in Treaty-Making: Limitations
  • Challenging conventional wisdoms
• Day 5 - Science as a Common Interest
  • Balancing interests
• Day 6 - Case Studies in Science Diplomacy
• Day 7 - Science in Policy
  • Practitioner observations
• Day 8 - Bold Approaches
  • Diplomacy for research and innovation in a digital age
• Day 9 - A Day of Reflection
  • Interactive discussions and exercises to draw out lessons
• Day 10 - Towards Better Science Diplomacy
  • Highlighting lessons and takeaways

The Executive Summer Program will be offered through interactive online workshops (e-workshops). 

The material presented during the Programme will be interactive and assignments will be given for participants to further advance their knowledge.  

All participants will take part in highly interactive exercises in order to further enhance the participants’ understanding of each topic.

In addition, participants will also have access to UNITAR's Virtual Learning Environment where they will be able to access the training material and other wealth of information. Course materials will include:

• Readings
• Powerpoints
• Simulations
• Games
• Test-yourself gauges for readings

The programme is open to diplomats, staff of governmental and non-governmental organizations, students, researchers, academics, business representatives wishing to tackle complex challenges related to science and technology, as well as other interested individuals.

ADMISSION CRITERIA:

Students must have completed a bachelor degree and be proficient in English language (both oral and written). Students must have a minimum of two years of work experience.

MINIMUM NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS

The minimum number of participants is 6. In the absence of 6 participants, the Executive Summer Program will be cancelled or postponed to a later date.

CERTIFICATION

At the end of the Executive Summer Programme on Innovations in Science Diplomacy, successful participants will receive a certificate of participation. 
Certificates will be awarded and signed by UNITAR and faculty from the Program on Negotiation (PON) at the Harvard Law School, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of Massachusetts Boston (UMass Boston), Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University (BU), Swissnex in Boston and the Science Diplomacy Center.