UNITAR's Multilateral Diplomacy Programme relaunches its successful e-learning course on Chairing International Conferences. The value of this course that is going to start on the 4th of April is not only to provide information, skills and guidance to delegates who may be appointed or elected to chair meetings, it is also important for all delegates to understand what the chairman is doing, and why he or she is doing it. Indeed, unless delegates want the conference to fail, they should support the chairman’s efforts. In short, successful conferences require strong and able chairmen to be effective, need supportive and cooperative delegates. This in turn means that all delegates who wish to influence outcomes of the conference need to understand what the chairman is trying to do. If they want the conference to reach certain decisions, they need to work with and through the chairman.
This online course aims to equip you with the skills to successfully chair a meeting or international conference, as well as understand and work with whomever is appointed to this position, thereby contributing to the success of such an event and a greater fulfillment of one’s institutional mandate.
At the end of the course you will be able to:
· Communicate an appreciation for the role of presiding officers;
· Use acquired skills and knowledge to efficiently chair meetings;
· Determine what preparations are appropriate as meeting chair;
· Identify common chairman mistakes and give best practice strategies;
· Support and cooperate with the chairman.
The course will be conducted in English over a period of two weeks, each week consisting of a module focusing on a different topic. The course will be delivered via UNITAR’s e-Learning platform. This pedagogical tool will help you meet the course’s learning objectives through a self-paced study routine supported by multimedia, optional and required readings, discussion forums, assessment quizzes, and a wealth of other in-formation.
The course targets mid to senior-level government officers in ministries preparing for and/or taking part in conferences as well as staff of intergovernmental/ nongovernmental organizations. It also targets entry-level and mid-career diplomats working in a multilateral setting. Private sector specialists and students whose work or studies are related to this subject are also encouraged to apply.
Anyone interested in the online course on Chairing International Conferences can register here. For further information please do not hesitate to contact us at: mdp-elearning@unitar.org