DLR Projektträger trains European diplomats in science diplomacy
7th April 2022 — The European Diplomatic Programme (EDP) is the EU's training programme for young diplomats from Member States, the European External Action Service, the Commission and the European Council. The 22nd edition of the programme will take place from November 2021 to June 2022 during the Presidencies of Slovenia and France and is dedicated to the theme "The EU as a global actor – strategic autonomy, resilience and multilateralism". At the end of March, 68 young diplomats took part in a two-day EDP module in Brussels organised by the European External Action Service. For the first time, the topic of science diplomacy was now also on the training programme. DLR-PT was invited as an external expert to design this session.
Finding joint solutions to global challenges with science diplomacy
Under the motto "Science Diplomacy – Why does it matter to European Diplomats?", Stella Reschke and Angela Schindler-Daniels from the DLR-PT Brussels office organised an interactive training session with lecture elements, surveys and discussions. Using practical examples, the speakers showed what constitutes living science diplomacy and how diplomats can use it in their work.
"This training was an important step towards getting diplomats more involved in shaping science diplomacy in addition to actors from the scientific community. We hope that the topic will be firmly anchored in the training programme of European diplomats in the future."
It became clear that only if the interaction between all stakeholders from science and international politics works can solutions to global challenges be found together. "This training was an important step towards involving diplomats more closely in shaping science diplomacy, in addition to stakeholders from the scientific community," summarised Stella Reschke. "We hope that the topic will be firmly anchored in the training programme of European diplomats in the future."
At the training session, DLR-PT also represented the EU Science Diplomacy Alliance, which it co-chairs with CNRS/Symlog and VUB/Brussels School of Governance. In addition, DLR-PT founded the Science Diplomacy Academy in 2021 and organises trainings in Germany and abroad within this framework.
Focus of the Brussels PT Office
Science Diplomacy remains the main focus of the Brussels office. A workshop on "Taking the heat off – What is Science Diplomacy's role in times of urgency?" is already scheduled for 28 April, organised by the Brussels DLR-PT Office as part of the SAPEA (Science Advice For Policy By European Academies) conference.
The EU Science Diplomacy Alliance is a joint initiative launched by the EU Science Diplomacy projects S4D4C, InsSciDE and EL-CSID to maintain and expand the networks established by the three projects. The aim of the 24 members is to further develop joint research projects, policy advice, capacity building and training activities on science diplomacy. DLR-PT is one of the founding members of the Alliance.