Course overview
In an increasingly interconnected and volatile world, effective diplomacy and robust security strategies are essential for maintaining peace, protecting national interests, and strengthening international cooperation. This course equips participants with the practical and analytical skills required to understand complex security environments, assess geopolitical risks, resolve disputes, analyse intelligence, develop appropriate strategies, and communicate policy recommendations confidently.
Participants will also learn how to engage diverse stakeholders, conduct negotiations, and prepare persuasive diplomatic and policy messages that support informed decision-making.
Target Audience
The course is designed for:
- Diplomats and foreign-service personnel
- Security and intelligence professionals
- Government officials and policymakers
- Peacebuilding and conflict-resolution practitioners
- Military, police, and other security-sector personnel
- International relations and political science professionals
- NGO and development-sector practitioners
- Researchers, analysts, and journalists covering security affairs
- Students and early-career professionals aspiring to work in diplomacy, security, peacebuilding, or public policy
Course curriculum
| Week | Lesson | Topics Covered | Practical Activity/Output |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 1. Foundations of Security and Strategic Studies | Key security concepts; national, regional, and international security; traditional and emerging security threats; the role of state and non-state actors. | Analyse a contemporary security issue and identify its key actors and implications. |
| Week 1 | 2. Strategic Security Analysis | Security environment assessment; political, economic, social, technological, and environmental factors; threat and vulnerability analysis; scenario development. | Prepare a strategic security assessment for a selected context. |
| Week 2 | 3. Intelligence Gathering and Assessment | Intelligence cycle; ethical information gathering; open-source intelligence; source evaluation; information verification; intelligence reporting. | Review multiple information sources and prepare a concise intelligence brief. |
| Week 2 | 4. Conflict Analysis and Early Warning | Causes and stages of conflict; conflict mapping; stakeholder analysis; conflict indicators; early-warning systems; prevention approaches. | Develop a conflict map and early-warning assessment. |
| Week 3 | 5. Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding | Conflict prevention; mediation; dialogue; reconciliation; peacebuilding; confidence-building measures; managing competing interests. | Participate in a conflict-resolution or mediation simulation. |
| Week 3 | 6. Negotiation and Diplomatic Communication | Negotiation preparation; interests and positions; consensus building; diplomatic language; protocol; briefing and communicating in sensitive situations. | Conduct a simulated negotiation and prepare a diplomatic communication. |
| Week 4 | 7. Security Policy and Strategy Development | Policy analysis; defining policy problems; developing and evaluating policy options; drafting policy recommendations; implementation planning. | Draft a security policy brief with evidence-based recommendations. |
| Week 4 | 8. Crisis Management and Strategic Decision-Making | Crisis assessment; coordination; decision-making under pressure; strategic communication; policy response; monitoring and reviewing security strategies. | Present a security strategy and defend its recommendations before a simulated policy panel. |
Your facilitators
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Dr. Anne AbAho Senior InstructorDetails
