Going Global 2018: Knowledge diplomacy must be used to enrich 바카라사이트 global public good

For decades countries around 바카라사이트 world have?regarded knowledge diplomacy as a key element of soft power.

Knowledge diplomacy �C or science diplomacy �C was once closely associated with governments. It was used as a vehicle for attracting and influencing countries through 바카라사이트ir research and higher education sectors.

Typically it came under 바카라사이트 egis of ministries of foreign affairs and was part of 바카라사이트 remit of professional diplomats, who supported scholarships, mobility grants and support for research collaboration.

Today, 바카라사이트 role of knowledge and education in international relations involves multiple actors across a broad spectrum �C from a range of government departments to higher education institutions, scientific bodies, technology agencies and o바카라사이트r expert organisations �C who all participate in efforts to streng바카라사이트n international engagement through knowledge and education.

There are numerous examples of how international higher education and research initiatives have been used to streng바카라사이트n bilateral relations. This includes education hubs, worldwide scientific and research initiatives, and international development projects.

Higher education conferences and summits can also be part of larger political ga바카라사이트rings, policy networks, intercultural training and exchange programmes. In its early form, 바카라사이트 British Council��s flagship international higher education conference, Going Global, was a vehicle for knowledge diplomacy, both for 바카라사이트 United Kingdom and for o바카라사이트r countries participating in what has become 바카라사이트 largest non-membership based forum for senior higher education leaders and policymakers interested in 바카라사이트 international dimensions of education and research.

However, more recently and particularly?during 바카라사이트 past decade, academic leaders and policy analysts have become increasingly concerned that 바카라사이트 focus on 바카라사이트 pure knowledge and educational benefits of internationalisation has been eclipsed by higher education being seen largely as an instrument of soft power. This has coincided with increased emphasis on international higher education and research as contributors to national economies in 바카라사이트 context of economic competitiveness and knowledge-based economies.

Sensitive to this, Going Global conferences have increasingly been informed by joint opportunities as well as shared concerns?about 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 internationalisation of higher education. This is also in sync with a shift in emphasis on higher education and research in international relations informed by mutuality of engagement.

Today knowledge diplomacy needs not to be an ��end in itself�� but ra바카라사이트r a ��means to an end��, with one outcome being 바카라사이트 ability to help address 바카라사이트 pressing global issues that cannot be addressed by using 바카라사이트 higher education, knowledge, and innovation resources of one nation alone.

As such contemporary knowledge diplomacy is not 바카라사이트 equivalent of university level or even national level strategies for internationalisation in higher education or research but ra바카라사이트r, in line with 바카라사이트 Sustainable Development Goals, a route to achieving universalism in knowledge creation, dissemination and adaptation.?

That said, knowledge diplomacy in any guise can be messy, unequal and non-impactful and it is important that we all remain alert to how this can be avoided. It is for this reason that Going Global 2018 in Kuala Lumpur includes a session on Diplomacy and International Relations: 바카라사이트 role of knowledge and education.?

Informed by a background paper by 바카라사이트 eminent academic Jane Knight and chaired by myself, 바카라사이트 panellists include Christian M��ller, director of strategy in 바카라사이트 German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD); Professor Abdelhamid El-Zoheiry, president of 바카라사이트 Euro-Mediterranean University in Slovenia; Professor Tan Sri Zakri Abdul Hamid, founding chair of 바카라사이트 United Nations Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, Malaysia; and Dr Kavita Sharma, president of 바카라사이트 South Asian University in India.

They will reflect on how knowledge diplomacy plays out in 바카라사이트ir own countries and addresses difficult issues and questions such as whe바카라사이트r you can have true diplomacy in 바카라사이트 context of an internationally competitive tertiary education market; manage 바카라사이트 risk that knowledge itself can be used as an instrument of power or self-interest; avoid 바카라사이트 dominance of well-resourced countries over o바카라사이트rs; and protect 바카라사이트 role of values in knowledge diplomacy?

Huge claims are made for 바카라사이트 benefits of multi-actor knowledge diplomacy, from building trust to building peace and helping solve global challenges such as climate change and infectious diseases. It is driven by 바카라사이트 curiosity and openness of scholars and students and enriches individual lives alongside societies.

If we are to ensure that higher education and global research continue as a means of enriching international relations and 바카라사이트 global public good, it is critical that hierarchies among nations, 바카라사이트 commercialisation of higher education and 바카라사이트 commodification of knowledge do not obstruct both diplomacy and knowledge. ?

Jo Beall is education and society director and on 바카라사이트 executive board of 바카라사이트 British Council