School of Young Ukrainian Diplomat

new course of study

of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv,

Institute of International Relations

Business School

The School of a Young Ukrainian Diplomat of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of International Relations (the School) started its work on Employee of the Diplomatic Service of Ukraine Day in 2018 in cooperation with the Ukrainian Foreign Policy Association (a public organization of the highest rank diplomats such as Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine).

It is an important career guidance project giving young people an opportunity to get acquainted with the sphere of diplomacy and make a conscious decision as the School is a first step towards the career of a diplomat, international relations specialist, statesman or stateswoman, politician, public figure and international level businessman or businesswoman.

The project meets the State Youth Policy of Ukraine and helps the youth to make the right choice concerning their future career, consolidates diplomatic missions, public authorities, the public sector and business with the purpose of discovering and providing young people with instruments of motivation and opportunities to achieve further professional development in Ukraine.

Participants of the course get acquainted with the diplomatic sphere and professional skills by:

  • Communication with Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary being members of the Ukrainian Foreign Policy Association;
  • Participation in online meetings within the project on public diplomacy #OpenUkrainianDiplomacy and communication with Ukrainian diplomats working abroad;
  • Consultations of the experts of the “Diplomacy: international relations, etiquette, protocol. Expert centre” project;
  • Participation in the events within the scope of cooperation with the “General Directorate for Servicing Foreign Missions GDIP Media Center”.


Studying at School, participants will get acquainted with Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, understand the importance of higher education and, thanks to tutors, familiarize themselves with Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv education programs for specialists in international relations:

  • International Relations
  • International Regional Studies
  • International Economic Relations
  • International Business
  • International Communication
  • International Law


It is important for the School to meet the requirements of our time and familiarize participants with the opportunities granted by meetings with representatives of:

  • Educational Center of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine;
  • United Nations in Ukraine (the UN Office in Ukraine);
  • Fulbright Ukraine (Fulbright program);
  • EU neighbours east (Ambassadors of the European Youth initiative);
  • Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe;
  • Partnership for Advancing Innovative Sustainability (PAIS) and the other.
     

Participants have an opportunity to strengthen their personal qualities and skills by taking part in training conducted by our speakers on future career coaching, public speaking, media literacy, critical thinking and soft skills.

Approximate lecture program:

Who are the diplomats? Theory and practice of diplomatic service.
Modern diplomatic mission: structure, staff, status.
Global trends of world politics.
Diplomatic protocol and etiquette.
Regional studies as an educational and scientific discipline.
The European Union: history of integration, institutes, policy.
The path to European politics from school.
Peculiarities of relations of Ukraine and its neighbour-countries.
International law as vocation and profession.
Economic diplomacy as a part of international economic relations. Modern trends.
Modern peace diplomacy. The role of women and youth.
Career coaching.
How to declare yourself out loud?
Digital media transformation. Media literacy and critical thinking as necessary competencies for a modern person.


Facing today's realities, distance learning at School has started since April 2020.

The advantages of such a form of learning are as follows:

  • Usage of a well know and reliable online platform for video conferences;
  • Access to lectures with any modern device;
  • Video recordings of lectures are saved on the online disc which all the participants have access to;
  • Access to author’s presentations and their availability for further saving;
  • The opportunity of online communication with specialists in questions and answers form;
  • Opportunity for students from any city in Ukraine and any country of the world to take part in the project;
  • Opportunity for students’ families to share in online broadcasting for free!


The School has the only online project on public diplomacy in Ukraine “Open Ukrainian Diplomacy”. It is conducted exclusively for the School’s students and is supported by diplomatic missions of Ukraine abroad and has partnership relations with the Ukrainian Foreign Policy Association. 

The project allows for online meetings with Ukrainian diplomats working abroad and is directed at familiarizing students with:

  • A country of residence;
  • Main aspects of bilateral relations of Ukraine with a country;
  • Peculiarities of Ukrainian mission’s work in a country;
  • The current situation in a state of residence;
  • “How it feels being a diplomat” – a professional way of a diplomat, pieces of advice to future specialists, secrets of a profession.


And, of course, a large number of interesting questions from our students and comprehensive and professional answers from our lectors.


In addition, the School has the following educational projects:

“University Scientific and Economic Diplomacy” is aimed at the popularization of Ukrainian education, science and famous scientists, and educators involved in global networks. Another purpose of the project is to demonstrate Ukrainian intellectual potential and professionalism, to make students a part of the Ukrainian intellectual elite, and get them involved in this sphere by representing our state in international contests, and olympiads, collaborating with international scientific teams. In other words, participants of the project are to become so-called ambassadors of Ukrainian education and science in the international arena.

“Direct Speech” – the School’s tutors share in their views on diplomacy and international relations sphere.

“Library of a Diplomat” – we recommend professional and fiction publications of our tutors to future diplomats.

Training in each project lasts for 3 months and includes 24 classes with a duration of 1.5 hours (astronomical). In addition, 12 classes with a duration of 1.5 hours are allocated for participation in the School’s projects, online meetings with representatives of the diplomatic corps, representations of international organizations and famous specialists in this sphere.

Upon the completion of the course, each student receives a Diploma.

Our partners

First of all, it is the Ukrainian Foreign Policy Association (UFPA). The UFPA founders and members are Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine, experienced specialists participating in shaping and practical embodiment of the state’s foreign policy in many countries of the world and international organizations, having a great experience and unique institutional memory and being authoritative, independent professionals in the sphere of diplomacy and international relations.

Thanks to the reliable partner of the UFPA with the School, the Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine are mentors of young people dreaming of connecting their professional path with the diplomatic service and share in their professional knowledge and experience with students generously!

Jean Monnet Center of Excellence of the Institute of International Relations (IIR) Erasmus project. The Center’s tasks include: promoting the development of educational and scientific activities and improving teaching processes, sharing views and experience on the EU functioning in economic, political, legal and communication spheres; dissemination and clarification of data on the Association Agreement between Ukraine, on the one hand, and the European Union, the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member-States, on the other hand. Therefore, students of the School have the unique opportunity to be the only students in Ukraine to take part in such lectures and get professional knowledge, comprehensive training and up-to-date information from the Center’s experts.

The Institute of International Relations of Taras Shevchenko the National University of Kyiv is the main higher education institution in Ukraine training specialists in international relations, and future diplomats. While training, students of the School had an opportunity to get acquainted with the teaching staff of the IIR, communicate with professionals and get knowledge and up-to-date information by attending author’s lectures.

In addition, the UN Office in Ukraine is among our partners. The students meet, participate in lectures given by specialists, attend the Office and now are involved in a new global project dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the United Nations – «UN 75. 2020 and beyond. Shaping our future together».

A state enterprise “General Directorate for Servicing Foreign Missions”, particularly “GDIP Media Center”. Our students participate in events on cultural diplomacy and in “Diplomatic Greetings”, a project organized by the Center together with the project of cultural diplomacy “OUTLOOK”, within which students meet with members of the foreign diplomatic corps, Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of other countries and attend the ambassies. We are always glad to see materials on such meetings with the participation of our students on the pages of the GDIP publication “Diplomacy Without Borders”.

Educational Center of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Students visit the building of the Ukrainian Parliament, go for excursions, and participate in the events of the Educational Center and online imitation games of the Verkhovna Rada Committee meeting with the People’s Deputies of Ukraine involved.

Ministry of Foreign Relations of Ukraine. Students visit the Ministry, go on excursions, meet the representatives of the Department of Public Diplomacy and attend lectures of the diplomats who graduated from the IIR.

The School activities are not limited to the events mentioned. The “Ukrainian Diplomacy: Synergy for Future” forum organized by the School had great success in November 2019 and we plan to hold it annually.

“The Security Council of the UN Model” imitation game with Volodymyr Khandohii, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine, as a Chairman has already become well known. All our students participate in the game.

The School gives a start to future world leaders who think globally, are able to take part in solving world problems, strive to represent the state’s interests in the international arena and improve the image of Ukraine in the world.

 

The School activities have become noticed. At the end of June, the IIR Business School and its project “The School of a Young Ukrainian Diplomat” get the “Company of the Year - 2019” award from the All-Ukrainian Sectoral Analytical Center after passing successfully financial and economic, legal and informational analysis. “The Company of the Year” status confirms that:

  • A company is reliable and has a good reputation;
  • A company always fulfils its obligations and guarantees the quality of services;
  • A company is a prestigious employer with high-level qualification staff;
  • A company is prospective for financing and long-term loans;
  • A company’s services have priority over the competitors’ ones.


Nataliia Rylach, a head and a co-founder of the School, Candidate of Economic Sciences, Senior Research Officer of the Institute of International Relations of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, member of the Ukrainian Foreign Policy Association, founder and manager of the “Expert Center “Diplomacy: International Relations, Etiquette, Protocol”” project and “Open Ukrainian Diplomacy”, “Science and Educational Diplomacy Platform” project on public diplomacy:

“We are extremely proud of our students and graduates and we believe in them. Because, already now, at such a young age, they have their own goal, see their future clearly and move towards their dream step by step.

Our task is to direct them in the right way, show opportunities, give advice, introduce to the diplomatic sphere and provide them with the most valuable thing – knowledge and experience of the unique specialists in this field. We thank all our partners and tutors for their productive work and we go ahead!”

 

We invite:

Pupils (8-11 forms) and students of higher education institutions.

Course cost: 5, 400 UAH

(It is possible to pay in two stages).

The School graduates receive a Diploma.

Dates: March 4th - May 6th

 

Details:

050-380-18-40 – Nataliia Rylach

Registration for a new course is HERE.

 

More information about the School:

Facebook

Instagram: @diplomatschooliir