June 2021, Geneva, Switzerland - What are the most effective tools in preventing and countering corruption? What connects anti-corruption to diplomacy and international relations? And which role do education and training play in this regard? Those are the main points and questions that UNITAR’s Executive Director and United Nations Assistant Secretary-General Nikhil Seth and the Dean of the International Anti-Corruption Academy Dr. Thomas Stelzer discussed in the June edition of UN Today. The interview underlines the crucial role and immense importance of training and education in the fight against and the prevention of corruption. Only through the creation of specialized agencies and institutions, as well as multilateral and diplomatic efforts such as the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC), combined with effective training and education in the field, true attitudinal and behavioural shifts can be achieved and lead to long-term positive impacts.
Acknowledging this crucial interrelation between anti-corruption efforts, multilateral diplomacy and training and education, UNITAR has partnered with the International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA) to launch brand new academic programs in September 2021: The Master and Executive Diploma in Anti-Corruption and Diplomacy.
The Master in Anti-Corruption and Diplomacy is a modular postgraduate academic degree programme delivered in a blended format over the course of 18 months. It is designed for young professionals who seek to study under some of the world’s most outstanding experts in anti-corruption and diplomacy and in a participatory and unique international community. The Master seeks to deepen students’ understanding of anti-corruption and diplomacy and also offers a series of interdisciplinary modules and cross-cutting themes relating to economics, ethics, international law, digital and cyber diplomacy, as well as essential skills for an international career such as negotiations, leadership, effective writing, public speaking and stakeholder coordination & engagement.
The Executive Diploma in Anti-Corruption and Diplomacy is an online programme conducted part-time over the course of six months, targeted to professionals with a background in anti-corruption, diplomacy, international relations or any related field where corruption can be a challenge. The Diploma combines IACA’s expertise in anti-corruption and UNITAR’s expertise in diplomatic skills to train participants to work effectively in various multicultural contexts, while equipping them with the state-of-the-art knowledge in the field of anti-corruption. It includes a variety of modules on anti-corruption, cybersecurity, ethics and diplomatic skills, such as negotiation skills and cross-cultural communication, and offers participants from all sectors across the globe the opportunity to become part of a unique network.