German-Italian Winter School in Diplomacy

The winter school is open to graduates holding a three-year university degree in any discipline or an equivalent qualification (Bachelor degree), who are interested in acquiring advanced knowledge and skills regarding the role of the Italian-German partnership in the transformation of the European and global order.

The programme is also designed for young professionals and officials working in the public sector, international organizations, European institutions and research centres, as well as professionals from the private sector, institutional relations, and companies engaged in internationalization processes and in the energy and digital transitions.

The winter school aims to train participants on the evolution of European and international diplomacy, with a particular focus on the partnership between Italy and Germany in key European policies (economic, energy and technological). It provides tools to understand multilevel decision-making processes, the interaction between national interests and European governance, and the role of both bilateral and supranational institutions.

The initiative also aims to prepare professionals able to contribute to research and public policy, fostering dialogue between universities and institutions, and promoting awareness of the strategic value of Italian-German cooperation for stability, innovation, and sustainable development in Europe.

The course objectives are as follows:

• to provide historical, political science and legal tools for the analysis of diplomatic cooperation mechanisms between European Union Member States
• to deepen understanding of the functioning of multilevel decision-making processes and the interplay between national, bilateral and European dimensions
• to illustrate the role of institutional, economic and strategic actors involved in shaping common policies
• to develop skills in interpreting and simulating negotiations, fostering integration between academic knowledge and operational practice

Possession of a three-year undergraduate degree in any field or an equivalent qualification (bachelor degree).

The following qualifications are considered preferential, listed in order of importance:

• Master's degree or equivalent (master degree)
• PhD
• enrolment in a PhD programme
• possession of language certifications

1. carefully read the admission notice (to be published soon)
2. submit the application for admission (according to the template that will be published with the call)

Monday, 5 October

• History of German-Italian cooperation
  09:00 - 13:00
  Federico Niglia, Full Professor of the History of International Relations (SSD GSPS-04/B), Università per Stranieri di Perugia
• Sustainability governance and industrial transition in Europe: the Italian-German dimension
  15:00 - 19:00
  Marzia Traverso, Full Professor and Head of Institute (INaB) at the Institute for Sustainability in Civil Engineering, RWTH Aachen University 

Tuesday, 6 October

• Diplomacy on resources, sustainability and the Green transition
  10:00 - 12:00
  Francesco Asdrubali, Full Professor of Environmental Technical Physics (SSD ING-IND/11), Università per Stranieri di Perugia 
• Italy, Germany and the politics of the EU
  15:00 - 19:00
  Matteo Scotto, Director of Research and Projects Department, Villa Vigoni – German-Italian Centre for European Dialogue

Wednesday, 7 October

• Cultural Diplomacy
  09:00 - 13:00
  Luca Crescenzi, Full Professor of German Literature (GERM-01/B), Ca’ Foscari University of Venice
• Cultural transfer, literature and intellectual exchanges between Italy and Germany
  15:00 - 19:00
  Esther Schomacher, Professor of Italian Literature and Cultural Studies, Institute of Romance Studies, Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany

Thursday, 8 October

• Public Diplomacy
  08:00-14:00
  Giovanni Battista Bronzini, PhD student, Department of SUSI – Università per Stranieri di Perugia
• Technological and Industrial Diplomacy
  15:00-19:00
  Lucrezia Ranieri, RTT, Department of Social, Political and Cognitive Sciences – University of Siena 

Friday, 9 October

• Digital Diplomacy
  10:00-13:00 and 14:00-20:00
  Alessia Chiriatti, Researcher and Head of Training Programme – Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI)

Scientific Director
Luigi Mundula (University for Foreigners of Perugia - Course Coordinator)

Scientific Committee
Luigi Mundula (University for Foreigners of Perugia)
Carlos Pineda (University of Murcia)
Sonia Grotz (PAR University)
Norberto Santos (University of Coimbra)
Rosa Marcela Ramos Hidalgo (University of Murcia)
Magdalena Duda-Seifert (University of Wroklaw)