Ask most people what a career in international relations actually involves and you'll get a vague answer about diplomacy or politics. In reality, it is a standalone science with its own theories, its own legal framework, and its own set of professional skills — and understanding it properly opens doors well beyond the foreign ministry.

Presented by the Arab British Fellowship Training Academy, this course is built for professionals who want to develop and sharpen their grounding in international relations using modern methods. It covers why states behave the way they do — built on solid interdependence and each state's pursuit of its own security and prestige — and how a state's political system and institutions shape the decisions it makes on the world stage.

After Completing the Program, You Will Be Able To:

• Trace the historical stages that turned international relations into an independent political science.
• Identify the basic and subsidiary entities that make up international relations.
• Map the topics and branches of international relations and international law.
• Understand how foreign and international policy relate to international relations as a whole.

Who Should Attend?

• New personnel and officials in the diplomatic sector, and officers responsible for international agreements.
• Directors of international relations offices, and staff of international organizations.
• Students and graduates of political science, international relations, and economics faculties.
• New professionals in embassies, consulates and ministries, and employees of government institutions with economic functions.

Module 1: Why International Relations Is Its Own Science

• The concept of international relations, and its definitions through history
• How international relations developed into an independent political science
• The main theories of international relations

Module 2: The Forces That Shape How States Behave

• Economic, geographic, political and military factors affecting international relations
• How soft-power policy emerged within international relations, and its main sources

Module 3: Diplomacy — The Machinery Behind the Relations

• The concept, definition and importance of diplomacy as a science
• The role and missions of diplomatic missions
• How diplomacy relates to international relations, international law, and the various international systems

Module 4: Protocol and Etiquette in International Dealings

• The concept of etiquette and protocol in international relations
• Forms of international etiquette, including between organizations
• Introductions, presentation, and international protocol in practice

Module 5: The Legal Framework Behind International Relations

• The concept of the international system and international coordination
• Principles and sources of international laws and regulations
• The rights and duties of states, international commons, and international agreements

Course Venues

• Courses are held in Egypt, Jordan, Malaysia, Turkey, England, France, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Austria and Denmark, in addition to Australia and the United States.
• Courses can be scheduled at a time and place that suits your work.

Training Format

• Group training at the Academy's centers
• One-to-one training
• Field and hands-on training following an advanced curriculum
• Theoretical training in the Academy's dedicated halls

Please Note

• Attendees receive an accredited certificate from the Academy upon completing the program.
• This course can be delivered at a time and location that suits you, and to high standards for senior participants — contact the Academy team for details.