Department

The ‘establishment of a school of higher learning to anchor the study of Diplomacy and International Relations has for long been an imperative for Ethiopia, one of the oldest nation states in the world and probably the only one in that highly regarded group of nations without such an institution. The increasingly complex nature of contemporary international relations has turned Diplomacy into a modern technical tool masterly utilized by well-grounded professionals in the numerous fields now covered by international relations. In countries endowed with such institutions, the intellectual background and experience of such professionals  are  constantly  upgraded  at  home  at  a  relatively  lower  cost  than  abroad. Although attending diplomacy courses abroad has the added advantage of offering diplomats the exposure needed to appreciate global issues from different perspectives, the need for such an institution in Ethiopia cannot be over-emphasized.  The place of pride Ethiopia has occupied in international relations and diplomacy since time immemorial, has, in turn, occasioned over the years, a steady growth in the staffing strength of its Foreign Ministry. Such a positive development necessarily requires the establishment of a highly specialized school that can regularly train/educate, at a relatively reasonable cost, a higher number of officials of the Ministry who have adequate qualifications to undertake the prescribed courses at that level.

The establishment of the School of Diplomacy and International Relations (SDIR) by the Ethiopian Civil Service University (ECSU) is designed to leverage Ethiopia’s capacity building in diplomacy and international relations through best practices and in the process, produce more practitioners highly schooled in Diplomacy as well as meet Ethiopia’s development aspirations. The SDIR offers a two-year master’s programme (MA) in Diplomacy and International Relations. (የአርት ማስተርስ ዲግሪ በዲፕሎማሲና አለምአቀፍ ግንኙነት) In the first year, modules covering the broad areas in Diplomacy in particular and International Relations in general, as well as Ethiopia’s specific interests and approach in those two areas, shall be taught. The first semester of the second year shall be dedicated to internship for the students in relevant places of work, including the Foreign Ministry itself and some regional and/or international organizations and foreign embassies represented in Addis Ababa. Students shall be required to produce and present a comprehensive report on the internship as well as a thesis proposal. In the ensuing semester, the student is required to submit and defend a thesis in accordance with the requirements of the School. The thesis shall be produced under the supervision of a member of the School’s Faculty.