Georgetown University: School of Foreign Service in Qatar

In March , 2009, The School of Foreign Service in Qatar (SFS-Qatar) held a diplomatic training workshop for 20 Qatari diplomats in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs (MOFA) in Qatar.

The week-long training was organized by the Permanent Committee for Conferences Organizing at the Ministry and aimed at developing the diplomatic skills of the 20 recently-hired diplomats.

In speaking to the attendees, His Excellency Mohammed Bin Abdullah Bin Mutib Al Rumaihi, Foreign Ministers' Assistant for Follow-up Affairs said that the practice of diplomacy is witnessing vast and rapid shifts in international relations and multilateral relations. He noted that these changes demand building the capacities and developing the skills of the Ministry’s personnel through providing foundation training for new diplomats and continued professional development for the more experienced diplomats.

The training program was developed in coordination with the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy (ISD) at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. The Institute is dedicated to conducting research and training programs to further enhance the practice of diplomacy and foreign policy.

The 5-day program offered expert-led sessions covering a variety of topics including: embassy operations, embassy’s relationship with its foreign ministry, bilateral diplomacy and negotiations, cable writing and public diplomacy.

The instructional team included former U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Vincent Battle, Joey Hood from the U.S. Embassy in Doha in addition to James Seevers, Kirsten Selinger and Daniel Stoll of Georgetown University.

In addition to theoretical presentations, the training program included simulations and interactive exercises that helped the diplomats practice what they have learned in a supportive environment. In one of the simulations, participants were asked to play the role of Qatari officials in a press conference and answer questions posed by their “journalist” instructors.

“The Qatari diplomats demonstrated serious commitment to this training program. They paid close attention to presentations, asked excellent questions and were enthusiastic about participating in practical exercises such as a simulation of a U.N. Security Council meeting. We were delighted to work with them,” said ISD research director James Seevers.

According to Daniel Stoll, Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs at SFS-Qatar, the participants were very positive in their reaction to the training. “They particularly liked the combination of theory and hands-on experiences provided throughout the week. Many asked if SFS-Qatar would be delivering similar training modules in the future,” he said.

The training marks SFS-Qatar’s first professional training program offered to a local governmental agency. Reflecting on SFS-Qatar’s mission and the value of training, James Reardon-Anderson, Dean of SFS-Qatar considers two features of this program as particularly valuable. “First, we came to Qatar to be of service not only to the students of Education City, but to Qatar and the Qatari people as a whole. Second, we came not only to teach, but to learn. Working with the Foreign Service Officers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has helped us achieve both goals. We hope this will be one of many opportunities to reach for these goals, now and in the future," he said.