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Certificate International Relations and diplomacy

The world is becoming less predictable and more volatile, thrusting defence issues and international relations into the spotlight. These areas now require astute and relevant responses, with diplomacy playing a crucial role in addressing these challenges. Pursuing this certificate means exploring the major issues in international relations and the new geostrategic challenges of the contemporary world, while engaging with leading speakers, all of whom are experts in defence, political science, and public policy.

Overview

Intended Participants

This Certificate is intended for professionals in the public, private, or NGO sectors aiming to proceed to senior positions. Each cohort is assembled of diplomats, executives in the public and private sectors, directors of international companies, and representatives of civil society organisations (including NGOs) and international institutions.

Objectives

Provide participants with the largest overview of the international relations and diplomacy practices and examples of international policy-making organizations and processes.
Provide specific knowledge about international systems, to grasp ideas and elements that could be discussed in a benchmark approach.
Offer presentations, and group work on specific case studies and will present recommendations and inside information from officials within the institutions.
Provide a forum for ideas, the exchange of good practices, and networking.
Build up and strengthen their leadership, and managerial skills as Executives/C-level
Develop strategy and leadership on geopolitical governance.

Programme

Understanding International Institutions

Key organisations (UN, WTO, etc.) and regional bodies (EU, AU), their roles in global governance (peacekeeping, human rights, standards) and the evolving landscape with new actors and challenges

Policy Analysis for a Globalised World

Global policies: identifing key players, stakeholder interests & impacts.
Frameworks for a multi-angled (economic/political/social) approach to complex international issues

Building a Feminist International System through Multilateralism

Examine the principles of feminist international relations, including gender equality, peacebuilding, and social justice

International Public Policy Making

The roles of governments, organisations, NGOs, and civil society in shaping policies on climate change, health, and human rights

Economic Diplomacy in the Global Marketplace

Trade negotiations, investment promotion, and fostering international economic partnerships
The role of international trade agreements and institutions in shaping the global economic landscape

Science Diplomacy: Leveraging Collaboration for Global Solutions

Scientific exchange, joint research projects, and technology transfer
Science diplomacy in promoting peace, security, and sustainable development

Navigating the Global Economic System

Institutions governing international trade and finance.
The impact of World Trade Organization (WTO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), and global financial markets on global economic governance

Building Bridges: The Power of Cultural Diplomacy

Cultural exchange and strategies for promoting cultural dialogue, educational exchanges, and artistic collaborations
The role of cultural diplomacy in building bridges between countries and communities

Crisis Management and Anti-corruption Strategies

Address crisis situations, from natural disasters to political conflicts
Strategies for international cooperation in crisis management, peacekeeping operations, and humanitarian assistance
Good governance and anti-corruption

The Politics of Global Food Security

Food production, distribution, access, and potential solutions for overcoming hunger and malnutrition
The role of international cooperation, trade policies, and sustainable food systems in addressing global food security

Reframing the North-South Dialogue for Sustainability

Relationship between developed and developing countries in the context of environmental challenges
Solutions for achieving sustainable development globally

Facilitating the Transition to a Sustainable Future

Navigating towards a more sustainable future, addressing climate change and its associated environmental issues

Global health policies

Public policy in education

E-diplomacy

Diplomatic Practices across the world

Teaching Staff

Teuta Vodo

Pedagogical Director, Sciences Po

Associate Professor at Sciences Po Paris and Master's Program Director at Université Paris Cité, former Deputy Minister of Justice of Albania (Albania / France)

Roberto RODRIGUEZ

Mentor

Dr. Roberto Rodríguez holds a PhD in Political Science from Sciences Po. Currently he works as a postdoctoral researcher at LIEPP, developing comparative research on climate adaptation, green workforce and policy innovation. During his PhD, Roberto developed a thesis comparing air quality and climate policies in Paris and Mexico City. Before joining Sciences Po, he worked at the National Council for Science and Technology where he directed a program to employ top-performing young researchers in Mexico. He was also the national delegate to the OECD for the Committee for Science and Technology Policy, as well as member of the organization’s Group of National Experts on Science and Technology Indicators.

Emilija Pundziute-Gallois

I obtained my PhD in Political Science and International Relations at Sciences Po in Paris, and am currently a research fellow at Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, and an associated doctor at the Centre de Recherches Internationales (CERI) at Sciences Po Paris, as well as Centre d‘Etudes et de Recherches de Sciences Administratives et Politiques (CERSA) at Paris Panthéon-Assas. I am an author of “Diplomacy of Arrogance: Russia in the Baltic States” (in French, Paris: L’Harmattan, 2015), and a number of publications on the topics of diplomacy, sociology of international relations, the Baltic States and Russia. Former diplomat at the Lithuanian diplomatic service, I am an expert in international relations, international political sociology, foreign policy analysis, and diplomacy. My current research focuses on Russian diplomatic action around the conflicts in the common European neighborhood, and the problems of the European security architecture. I also teach Diplomacy and International Relations at Sciences Po Paris, and Paris Panthéon-Assas.

Alvaro Artigas Pereira

Alvaro Artigas was awarded his PhD in Comparative Politics in 2012 and Political Economy, after an M.A. in Comparative Studies at Sciences-Po. He was a visiting doctoral fellow at the Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung in Berlin and at the Pontifical Catholic University of Sao Paulo and a visiting fellow at the Universiti Malaya, the BRICS Policy Center of Rio de Janeiro, the PUCP of Lima and El Ateneo of Manila. He is currently a visiting fellow at the Institut Barcelona d’Estudis Internacionals at the U. Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona. He has participated into several research programs among which with the Ecole des Ponts et Chaussées of Paris on the large infrastructural modernization in the Pacific Rim (Chile, Peru, Malaysia), and the the USPC-NUS consortium on Green Growth in South East Asian metropolis with a focus on MetroManila, Singapore and Iskandar. He is presently co-steering the MEGOWAS (Metropolitan Governance of Water Systems) USPC-NUS Ateneo of Manila project together and benefited from the support of the Institute of Water Policy at the LKY University in Singapore. He co-directs the MOVIDIG -Movilidades Digitales project with José Maria Castellano (UPF Barcelona) - Innovation Chair of the Universidad Pompeu Fabra on the transformation of digital mobility, the impact of ride-and-hail transport platforms and micro-mobilities on the governance of cities and the transformation of the local economy. He is an associate researcher at the Centre for European Studies and Comparative Politics and a member of the Sciences Po program of urban research “Cities are Back in Town” and is a member of the strategic committee of the Chaire Villes et Numérique at the Urban School at Sciences Po. His research focuses on the complexity of regional and metropolitan infrastructure development programs and their specific sectoral, environmental and territorial consequences. It addresses the coordination of integrated infrastructure development policies, big data and ICTs coordination mechanisms and public services in terms of international competitiveness, integration into the global economy and sustainable growth strategies.

Chris Hegadorn

Chris Hegadorn is Adjunct Professor of Global Food Politics at Sciences Po University in Paris where he teaches graduate courses on global food systems. A retired U.S. Foreign Service Officer, Mr Hegadorn spent nearly three decades in international diplomacy and multilateralism, including nearly four years as Executive Secretary of the UN’s Committee on World Food Security (CFS) in Rome.

Di Yang

Mr Yang holds a PhD in Political Science of Sciences Po Paris and is currently a associated researcher of CERI. Prior to his study in France, he studied at College of Europe, Université libre de Bruxelles and Tianjin International Studies University (China). He is trilingual speaker of Chinese, English and French and his areas of specialization include international relations, with an emphasis on France-China relations, EU-China relations and diplomatic practices.

Renata Dalaqua

Dr. Renata H. Dalaqua is a political scientist, with more than fourteen years of professional experience in international relations, including policy coordination, research and analysis on international security. Since 2018, she works at the United Nations, in Geneva, as Head of Programme at the UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR). Renata leads a team and coordinates research, dialogue and capacity-building across all arms of arms control: conventional weapons, weapons of mass destruction and emerging technology. Prior to joining UNIDIR, she was the Deputy Director of Projects at the Brazilian Center for International Relations (CEBRI) and a Consultant with VERTIC's National Implementation Measures programme. She holds a PhD in History and Politics from the Vargas Foundation, Brazil and a master’s degree in International Politics and Security from the University College of London, UK.

Damien BARCHICHE

Damien BARCHICHE leads the Sustainable Development Governance program, which focuses on the official Sustainable Development Agenda - Agenda 2030, development financing, the trade agenda, and emerging governance models. A graduate of Sciences Po Paris and CERDI, Damien has worked since 2006 in NGOs, at the United Nations, and at the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs on sustainable development and governance issues before joining IDDRI in 2018. He has directly participated in the French presidency of the G20 and G8, the reform of the Committee on World Food Security, and initiatives to strengthen the coordination of international organizations (UN High Level Task Force on Global Food and Nutrition Security - HLTF). He has also been the French focal point for the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).

Alain Laraby

Alain Laraby teaches in Sciences Po Paris Negotiation skills and strategies in the light of Game theory. Earlier on, he was consultant, negotiator and corporate administrator as well as mediator accredited by the London Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. As a diplomat, Alain Laraby worked in the Center for Analysis, Planning and Strategy within the Foreign Affairs ministry. He was member of the Paris Bar (as avocat) and of the London Law Society (as solicitor), dealing with UE cases. He got a LLM in New York.

Frédéric Ramel

Frédéric Ramel is Professor of Political Science at Sciences Po Paris (CERI) and coordinator of the CNRS Research Group on Multilateral Action (GRAM). His work on global cultural issues has contributed to the debate on musical diplomacy. Today, his research focuses on peace, the planetary and sensitivity in the global arena. Among his last publications : Espace Mondial (Presses de Sciences Po, 2024) and Benevolence in International Relations (Bristol University Press, 2025).

Guillaume Dedet

Guillaume Dedet, MBBS, M.D., M.A., M.Sc., is a 2022–23 French Harkness Fellow in Health Care Policy and Practice. He currently serves as senior health economist at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Health Division, where he has been leading a project on inequalities in cancer care and prevention in the European Union (EU), as well as OECD/EU’s regular cycles of comparative analysis of health systems and the health of populations across Europe. Dedet is a lecturer at SciencesPo Paris and is the current secretary of the French Public Health Association (SFSP). Prior to joining the OECD, he worked as medical adviser in the Health Systems Financing Department at the French Ministry of Health, and as a technical officer at the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Division of Health Systems and Public Health. Dedet holds an MBBS from the University of Montpellier, an M.D. in public health from the Greater Paris Academic Hospital, and three additional postgraduate degrees: an M.Sc. in statistics from University Paris-Sud, an M.Sc. in health policy planning and financing from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and an M.A. in global diplomacy from the SOAS University of London.

Lidia Panico

Member of the Specialized Commission on Child and Youth Health / Population Approach, Lidia Panico is a researcher at the French Institute for Demographic Studies (Ined) and a lecturer at Sciences Po, Paris. Before joining Ined, she was a researcher at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and University College London (UCL). She obtained her Ph.D. in sociology in 2012 and her HDR (Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches) in sociology in 2021. Her interdisciplinary research program combines demography, epidemiology, and sociology, focusing on describing and explaining socio-economic inequalities in child health and well-being, with an emphasis on the role of family processes and institutional contexts. Her work employs longitudinal methods and data, including birth cohorts. She leads and participates in several international research projects comparing inequalities in the well-being of young children during childhood across multiple high-income countries.

Rémi Meehan

Rémi Meehan is a PhD candidate at CERI, Sciences Po. His research focuses on how states practice public diplomacy in the digital space to promote state discourse and enhance their power. His research particularly concentrates on X (formerly Twitter), given its considerable, albeit declining, influence on online political discourse. Under the supervision of Christian Lequesne, Rémi is the first recipient of the "DIPLOMATICA" doctoral contract, a joint initiative between Sciences Po and the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. Previously, Rémi worked for over a decade as a trader and geopolitical risk manager at Morgan Stanley in New York, most recently serving as an executive director. At Morgan Stanley, he specialized in the mining and defense sectors in both developed and emerging markets. Rémi holds an MSc in International Strategy and Diplomacy from the London School of Economics and an A.B. in International Affairs from Princeton University in New Jersey.

Christian Lequesne

Christian Lequesne, Ph.D, is professor of political science at Sciences Po. He has published extensively for thirty years on European Union politics and on sociology of diplomacy. His ethnographic book on the practices of French diplomats was published in paperback in 2020, Ethnographie du Quai d’Orsay. Les pratiques des diplomates français. His lasr book on diaspora diplomacy, Le diplomate et les Français de l’étranger. Comprendre les pratiques de l’Etat envers sa diaspora came out in May 2024. Professor Lequesne is also the editor of the book Ministries of Foreign Affairs in the World. Actors of State Diplomacy. Professor Lequesne was Director of the Center for International Research (CERI) at Sciences Po from 2009 to 2013. He was also the Director of the Center for Social Sciences Research (CEFRES) in Prague from 2003 to 2006, and LSE-Sciences Po Alliance Professor at the London School of Economics from 2006 to 2008. He has been visiting professor in many universities in the world and is currently the chief editor of the European Review of International Studies (ERIS) and member of the editorial board of The Hague Journal of Diplomacy and The Journal of European Integration.

Practical Information

Duration: 10 days over 2 months
Format : 5 days in person on Paris Campus and 10 sessions of 3,5 hours on line (11.30am- 3pm)
This course leads to an Executive Certificate awarded by Sciences Po Executive Education.
Campus : Sciences Po Executive Education, Paris.
Upon completion of a Sciences Po certificate programme, you'll join the extensive Sciences Po alumni community, and can also become a contributing member to the Sciences Po Alumni Association (without voting rights or eligibility for the Board of Directors).
Our courses can be adapted to accommodate various accessibility requirements. Please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss any necessary adjustments.

Pedagogical Approach

The programme is a blend of presentations, discussions and group work on specific case-studies. It also provides a forum for ideas, exchange of good practices and networking.

Admission Requirements

We are looking for participants who meet the following prerequisites:

Have completed at least a bachelor.
Have at least 5 years of professional experience
Proficiency in English

Admissions Process

Submit your application online via our admissions platform.

Once received, the application process is as follows:

Application review
Assessment and validation of eligibility by an admissions jury

Certification

The attendees will be divided into groups and will have to present a “Policy recommendation” assessed by Sciences Po.
A mentor will be dedicated to the groups.
This course leads to an Executive Certificate awarded by Sciences Po Executive Education.