Two-week course in int’l relations, diplomacy launched
THE Consular Corps of Jamaica, in association with the Centre d’Etudes Diplomatiques et Strategiques (CEDS) in France, will conduct a two-week certificate course in International Relations and Diplomacy next month at the Mona Campus of the University of the West Indies.
“The certificate course is designed for diplomats, officials, senior executives and selected graduate students,” said Arnold Foote, dean of the Consular Corps of Jamaica. He said, however, that the course would be open to anyone with a first degree and interest in familiarising themselves with the norms and issues of international relations.
“With globalisation, international relations is not only for persons engaged in the diplomatic services, but especially for persons who interact with international companies and organisations, to better understand the ramifications of the changing world order,” Foote said.
From June 2 to 13, participants will be exposed to the basics of protocol and diplomacy as well as intensive sessions on International Economics and Finance, International Law and International Politics.
The two-week course will also offer lectures on current international issues such as the Middle East crisis, post-war Iraq, and the growing divide between Europe and America.
The lectures will be conducted by four internationally recognised scholars — John Danvers, an Oxford University graduate and former chairman of the European Movement in the European Parliament; Thierry Garcin, a Radio France journalist and senior lecturer who has written several books on international relations; Christina Aguiar, professor of international law and former ambassador of the Dominican Republic to the United Nations; and John Quirk, best-selling author and expert in Intelligence and national security who now lectures at Florida University.
This collaboration is the first between the Jamaica Consular Corps and the CEDS, the oldest institution offering degrees in international relations and diplomacy, located in Paris, France, but Foote expects more opportunities to present themselves in the near future.
“Quite soon, possibly within the next year or so, we plan to launch the PhD programme,” Foote told the Observer, pointing out that right now, the aim is to have as many people as possible realise that a strong background in international relations is essential in Jamaica’s development as a nation.
“A course like this arms you with more information, and the more information we get is the more we will be able to understand and make decisions that will in the end, be in the best interest of Jamaica,” he said.
The certificate will be issued by CEDS upon completion of the course, where candidates must attend no less than 60 hours, or 75 per cent of the sessions to be considered. Lectures will be held at the UWI, Mona and will run from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. The deadline for registering at the Consular Corps’ Brompton Road headquarters was originally May 20, but organisers chose to extend it until May 27 to allow other persons interested to apply and pay the tuition fee of 800 euro.