Case study weekends

Global problems such as climate change, food, and energy security, and disease pandemics, require a global response, which is essentially dependent on the application of science and technology for resolution. The Case Study Weekend delves into an in-depth discussion on the three dimensions of science diplomacy (science in diplomacy, science for diplomacy and diplomacy for science). The participants will also explore the concept of the soft power of science and discuss practical ways of overcoming the barriers to scientific exchange.

• Dimensions of Science Diplomacy and the Soft Power of Science
• Global Threats: Science Diplomacy in the Age of Globalization
• Science for Peace in Diplomacy: Institutional Framework
• Science for Peace in Diplomacy: Practice and Collaboration
• Science, Politics, and Climate Change
• The Governance Challenge of Climate Change

Public diplomacy is an important foreign policy tool for building trust and an attractive image of a country, rather than relying on coercive diplomacy. New methods and strategies of asserting soft power and influencing public opinion are going to be explored during the course. The role of media in nation branding, as well as in managing crises and conflicts will be discussed, together with case studies on the modern news environment.

• Soft Power: Concept and Foreign Policy Tools
• Nation Branding Strategy: «Add Attraction » Workshop – Building attractive image
• Review of Modern Tools of Public Diplomacy: Education, Culture, Trade, Business, FDI, Sports
• Strategic Negotiation Game
• Media Aspects of Public Diplomacy: Case Studies
• Media Management of Crises and Conflicts in a 24/7 News
  Environment: Case Studies, Implications

As uncertainty, ambiguity and change are increasingly becoming the key features of the modern world, policymakers and leaders are challenged by the need for constant adaptation and preparedness. The science of futures and strategic foresight provides indispensable tools to anticipate and explore the dynamics of change and to have well-prepared strategies and policies in place to face various scenarios of the future.

• Futures: the concept, purpose and areas of application
• Key principles of futures process design: Scenarios, Visioning, SWOT Analysis
• Tools for gathering intelligence about the future: Horizon Scanning, Delphi, the Issues Paper, etc.
• Identifying and mapping change drivers: Driver mapping (PESTLE), Axes of uncertainty, etc.
• Scenario planning: Connecting futures to policy
• Developing and testing policy and strategy: Policy Stress-testing, Backcasting, Roadmapping