Zayed University announced yesterday the launch of the first class in the Graduate certificate in Diplomacy and International Affairs, which was held on Abu Dhabi campus and attended by 23 (male and female) participants, in the presence of His Excellency Jumaa Mubarak Al Junaibi, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Dr. Sulaiman Al Jassim Vice President of Zayed University.
The program which seeks to create the next generation of diplomats, confident of their knowledge, and understanding of world affairs and ready to make a contribution to the development of the United Arab Emirates; has been designed in response to the professional need of the country for a cadre of diplomats ready to confront the challenges of the 21st century.
Addressing the participants, Al Junaibi said: ” I would like to convey to you the greetings of His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed A Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs, and His Excellency Dr Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, as you start the first course of the Graduate Certificate in Diplomacy and International Affairs”.
HE emphasized the importance of this program in preparing the next generation of leaders and diplomats for successful careers in diplomacy and international affairs, through capitalizing on the success of the two-month intensive training course that Zayed University designed for future diplomats from the ministry.
He added: “When we first considered the concept of having a training program for future diplomats who will represent the UAE, we discussed the matter with several higher education institutes, and we found that the best course offered to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was from Zayed University. After the success of the training course, the second step was the Graduate Certificate in Diplomacy and International Affairs that will allow participants to pursue a Masters degree in the same field”.
Dr. Sulaiman Al Jassim Vice President of Zayed University explained that based on the success of the training course offered to diplomats from the ministry, the university decided to launch the Graduate Certificate in Diplomacy and International Affairs which is open to males and females of all nationalities as it aims to educate and train future generations of diplomats from the UAE, as well as professionals from around the world.
He added that the program prepares professionals capable of showing an in-depth knowledge of International Law, it’s applications and practical limitations; articulating the economic challenges present in a global economy; submitting sound analyses and critical perspectives on global security challenges, and conducting research in the field of diplomacy, and presenting policy options to their governments, in addition to representing the interests of the UAE to other states and to multilateral institutions and demonstrating strong UAE, the Gulf region, and the Middle East.
On his part Dr. Federico Velez, Assistant Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and Managing Director of Zayed Diplomatic Academy, explained that the program establishes a foundation for study leading to a Masters in Diplomacy and International Affairs, and with the country’s constant need of professionals equipped with the knowledge and analytical skills to serve as intelligent advisors to their government; skillful negotiators; trusted mediators; and compassionate global leaders; Zayed University designed the curriculum of this graduate certificate to include courses on international law and world politics, international relations, in addition to diplomatic history and politics, international political economy, communication across cultures and geopolitics in the Gulf and Middle East.
Dr. Velez added that the admission to the Graduate Certificate in Diplomacy and International Affairs is open to males and females of all nationalities, and applicants must have earned a four-year baccalaureate degree with a GPA of 2.5 or higher from an accredited university and demonstrate sufficient English proficiency to manage the challenging, fast-paced program.
