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KURBALIJA J. & TELEANU S. - EU Digital Diplomacy : Global Governance, Geopolitics and Diplomatic Practice (25h)
Analogies that liken data to the 'new gold' and draw parallels between the 20th-century space race and the contemporary competition in artificial intelligence (AI) vividly illustrate the strategic value of data and digital technologies. As these technologies are increasingly regarded as geopolitical resources, and the tech competition between nations and regions is intensifying, how is the EU positioning itself in digital geopolitics? With digital governance issues such as cybersecurity, privacy, data flows, and AI ethics high on the diplomatic agenda, what is the bloc’s contribution to these global debates? And to what extent are the EU’s internal regulatory efforts in the digital realm (e.g. the General Data Protection Regulation, the Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act, the AI Act, the Chips Act) shaping these debates? What policies, initiatives, and tools are at the core of the Union’s digital diplomacy and foreign policy efforts? What is – or could be – setting the EU’s approach to digital diplomacy apart from those of other major players such as China and the United States? And how are digital issues reflected in the EU’s bilateral and multilateral relations?
This optional course unpacks these and related questions by focusing on the external dimensions of the Union’s digital policies and its role in global digital governance and geopolitics. It will further explore the use of digital technologies as tools for diplomacy, and discuss the skills, capacities, and knowledge that diplomats need to be equipped with to stay ahead of the curve in a rapidly changing digital landscape. Also included in the course will be various exercises (simulations, exploration of AI tools, etc.) designed to train skills for the practice of diplomacy.
Overall, the course is built on the notion of a digital transformation of diplomacy in three main areas: changes in the (geo)political, social, and economic environment in which diplomacy is conducted; the emergence of new policy topics in diplomatic negotiations; and the use of digital tools in the practice of diplomacy. Lectures, discussions, and exercises will explore these three dimensions in the context of the EU’s digital diplomacy goals and activities.
Generative AI will be used as a pedagogical tool. During a dedicated session, students will experiment with DiploGPT, a custom-made generative AI tool for diplomatic use, to unpack complex digital policy topics. In doing so, students will explore the strengths and weaknesses of generative AI tools, critically assess their effectiveness, and learn about AI prompting in diplomacy.
Professors: Jovan KURBALIJA & Sorina TELEANU