Diplomatic Tradecraft for Non-Diplomats 2026

In an age of geopolitical disruption and global crises, diplomacy is an increasingly crucial skill to manage conflict, to advocate new ideas and to achieve sustainable political outcomes through dialogue and negotiation.

Learning objectives

After the course, participants will be able to:

• Identify the main functions of diplomats both in bilateral and multilateral contexts
• Understand the fundamentals of crisis management and negotiation as main functions of diplomats
• Understand the requirements of communication, leadership, and political reporting for diplomats
• Become familiar with rules of protocol and etiquette that may be useful for non-diplomats

Modules

The core modules for the course are: 

• What does a diplomat do?
• Negotiating as a diplomat
• Diplomatic jargon busting
• Soft Power
• Working with the media
• Bilateral and Multilateral Diplomacy
• Diplomatic Writing
   

All information you need to know (language, certification, technical and application process) before applying to the GCSP are available here. 

You will receive a GCSP certificate once you have completed all the course modules to the satisfaction of the course director.

The course is designed for individuals from:

• Governments
• International Organisations
• NGOs
• Academia
• Private sector

who are interested in enhancing their knowledge and use of diplomatic tools and practices.

Apply by 14 March 2026 to qualify for a 15% discount. Alumni qualify for a 20% discount. 
Bring a friend: 100 CHF (ensure your friend or colleague mentions your name in their online application)