New course "School for Young Ukrainian Diplomats" from 18 April to 11 June 2026
We invite young people — school pupils (grades 9–11) and students of higher education institutions — to join the online course of the School of Young Ukrainian Diplomats at the Institute of International Relations of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.
The educational programme is implemented with the support of the Ukrainian Association of Foreign Policy, the Department of International Organisations and Diplomatic Service, and the Business School of the Institute of International Relations.
The course will run from 18 April to 11 June 2026.
Programme content and opportunities
Course participants will learn about the field of diplomacy, the specifics of international relations and world politics, Ukraine's place on the international stage, cooperation within the European Union and NATO, the tools of public diplomacy, and the professional skills of diplomatic service representatives.
In addition, the programme provides for the development of participants' personal competencies and practical skills through participation in training sessions conducted by invited speakers. During these sessions, participants have the opportunity to improve their skills in career planning, public speaking, diplomatic etiquette, media literacy, critical thinking, and soft skills development.
It is important for the School to respond to contemporary challenges and introduce participants to a wide range of professional and educational development opportunities. In particular, the programme includes meetings with representatives of international organisations, diplomatic missions, and academia, as well as communication with representatives of the Student Council of the Educational and Scientific Institute of International Relations.
Course programme:
communication with Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary — members of the Ukrainian Association of Foreign Policy;
online meetings within the OpenUkrainianDiplomacy public diplomacy project — communication with Ukrainian diplomats working abroad;
participation in KNU Diplomacy Talks — offline meetings with representatives of the foreign diplomatic corps;
participation in events organised by the Educational and Scientific Institute of International Relations and the Department of International Organisations and Diplomatic Service of the Institute of International Relations;
consultations with experts from the centre "Diplomacy: International Relations, Etiquette, Protocol";
the opportunity to participate in protocol events of partner organisations.
During their studies at the School, participants also join the educational environment of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and have the opportunity to familiarise themselves with educational programmes for training international specialists at the Educational and Scientific Institute of International Relations, in particular:
international relations
country studies
international economic relations
international business
international communications
international law.
Additional opportunities for participants
School participants also have the opportunity to participate in online and offline events at the invitation of:
Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv;
the Educational and Scientific Institute of International Relations of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv;
Ukrainian Association of Foreign Policy;
General Directorate for Servicing Foreign Missions;
UA Experts NGO and other partner organisations.
Training format
Classes will be held online and will include lectures and interactive meetings with teachers and practitioners in the field of international relations.
The Zoom platform will be used for classes. Working groups will be created in Telegram and Viber for communication between participants.
Class schedule
Online classes will be held 2–3 times a week (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday).
Time:
17:00–18:30 (Kyiv time).
Course volume
The total volume of the online part of the course is 40 academic hours, which includes 20 online meetings.
All lectures are recorded and stored in a shared folder on Google Drive. Course participants will have access to these materials throughout the entire training period.
The cost of participation in the course is 8,600 UAH.
Payment in two instalments is possible.
Learning outcomes
Graduates of the School will receive a diploma in Ukrainian and English.
Contacts:
050-380-18-40 — Nataliia Mykhailivna
More about the School:
Instagram — @diplomatschooliir
Head of the School — Candidate of Economic Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of International Organisations and Diplomatic Service of the Institute of International Relations and Diplomacy of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv Natalia Mykhailivna Rylach