Georgetown Degree Program Connects MOFA Diplomats with Leading Experts

From a Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) classroom, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) diplomats enrolled in Georgetown’s graduate-level EMDIA program had the valuable experience of learning about nuclear diplomacy from the chief negotiator of the United States during the North Korean nuclear crisis of 1994, Ambassador Robert Gallucci. 

They also learned about the legal principles and the system of treaties and agreements between nations from award winning and internationally renowned scholar, Dr. Anthony Arend, Professor of Government and Foreign Service and Chair of the Department of  Government at Georgetown University in Washington, DC.

The intensive courses, titled “Nuclear Weapons and International and Regional Security” and “International Law,” comprise the fourth module of Georgetown University’s Executive Master’s in Diplomacy and International Affairs (EMDIA) degree program, designed in collaboration with MOFA’s Diplomatic Institute with the aim of enhancing the ability of diplomats from Qatar and the Middle East region to formulate and implement effective foreign policy.

Students in the program’s first cohort benefited from Amb. Gallucci’s extensive knowledge and expertise in the field, and the same policy-oriented curriculum he teaches to the U.S.-based Georgetown students who frequently go on to work in the U.S. State Department, Department of Defense, and for the  intelligence community. Course topics included the science of nuclear energy, case studies of different nuclear energy and armament programs, and nuclear proliferation and deterrence.

“What I want students of this course to understand and what drives the course in DC, is the connection between nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, and nuclear energy for nuclear weapons,” explained the former dean and current Distinguished Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy at SFS.  “It’s a dual-use technology, and there are many intersections. I want our students to understand those intersections, technically why they exist, and how they, as diplomats, should assess these programs.” 

The EMDIA program is offered by the Walsh School of Foreign Service (SFS) at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, with the support of QF partner GU-Q. Remarking on the impact of Georgetown’s campus in Qatar, Dr. Arend said: “Georgetown is committed to preparing people for careers that serve the global community. This master’s program and course play an important role in accomplishing that mission.”

For the professors teaching the modules, the quality of classroom discussions was elevated by the MOFA students’ professional backgrounds. Dr. Arend added that students “already had extensive knowledge of the subject matter that was reflected in their questions.” 

Dr. Arend previously served as the Director of the Master of Science in Foreign Service Program at SFS. His research and teaching is in the fields of international law, national security law, international legal theory, and human rights. 

Dr. Gallucci’s distinguished career includes serving as President of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Assistant Secretary of State for Political Military Affairs, and Deputy Executive Chairman of the U.N. Special Commission following the first Gulf War.

The EMDIA program comprises nine modules and a final capstone visit to Georgetown’s campus in Washington, DC, and will include sessions with Georgetown faculty members and meetings with policymakers and representatives of international institutions.