About the Academy
In Hilary Term 2026, we are proudly continuing the Oxford Diplomatic Society Academy. Founded by Tijmen Severens in 2023, the Academy involves a series of workshops that teach a select group of highly motivated and ambitious students’ essential diplomatic skills such as public speaking, negotiation, diplomatic communication, and crisis management. The workshops have a theoretical component, but they emphasise practice. Recognising that effective diplomacy does not merely require knowledge but also a particular well-developed skill set, the workshops offer plenty of room for participants to improve vital skills, for instance through public speaking exercises, negotiation simulation cases, and exercises in diplomatic communication.
The workshops are followed by a one-day Conference in which the students will apply what they have learned in the workshops in a Model United Nations (MUN) session. In this session, they will represent a country and debate and negotiate a UN resolution aimed at addressing a pressing global issue. During the Conference, the students will be evaluated by an expert jury. The latter will determine which students will win an award recognising their especially excellent performance during the Conference.
The Academy offers a unique opportunity to receive exclusive training in essential diplomatic skills from experienced public speakers and professionals from the field of diplomacy. It will enable one to learn and network with like-minded and highly ambitious peers. Upon completion, students receive an official certificate of participation in the Academy.
The Academy in 5 points
Learn how to give speeches, negotiate, and communicate like a true diplomat through exclusive workshops;
Receive feedback and training from experienced public speakers and professionals from the field of diplomacy;
Apply what you have learned in a 1-day UN Negotiation Simulation Conference in which you will debate and negotiate a UN resolution on a pressing global issue;
Learn and network with a select group of 35-40 highly motivated, ambitious and like-minded peers;
Receive an official certificate of participation upon completion and potentially an award from an expert jury recognising your especially excellent performance during the Conference.
Schedule
The schedule below is final. All workshops include practice exercises. All events include a break.
Workshop I - Introduction to Diplomacy
Wednesday 28th January (Week 2), 5.00 - 8.00 PM
A introduction to the theoretical basis of diplomacy.
Workshop II - Introduction to Negotiation
Friday 30th January (Week 2), 5.30 - 8.30 PM
Exploring the process of negotiation and the influence of different personalities and culture on negotiation.
Workshop III - Strategy & Tactics of Negotiation
Monday 2nd February (Week 3), 5.30 - 8.30 PM
Workshop IV - Public Speaking
Friday 6th February (Week 3), 5.30 - 8.30 PM
Dealing with, inter alia: body language, use of voice, content and structure of speech, rhetoric.
Workshop V - Diplomatic Communication
TBC (Week 4, either 9th or 12th February - please keep both dates free), 5.30 - 8.30 PM
Workshop VI - Mediation & Conflict Resolution
Monday 16th February (Week 5), 5.30 - 8.30 PM
Workshop VII - Advocacy
Friday 20th February (Week 5), 5.30 - 8.30 PM
Investigating how diplomats represent and defend positions in international forums whilst navigating law, politics, and culture.
MUN Conference
TBC (provisionally Friday 6th March), 12.00- 7.00 PM
People involved
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Dr Yolanda Spies
TRAINER WORKSHOP I - INTRODUCTION TO DIPLOMACY
MEMBER OF THE EXPERT JURY
Dr Yolanda Spies is the Director of the Oxford University Diplomatic Studies Programme. She served as a South African diplomat for 18 years. She taught diplomacy at various other universities, inter alia as adjunct professor at Webster University in Accra, Ghana and as Associate Professor: International Studies at Zayed University, UAE. Since 2016 she has also been a Senior Research Fellow of the SARCHI Chair in African Diplomacy and Foreign Policy, University of Johannesburg; and in 2020 she was appointed as Senior Fellow of the Geneva-based DiploFoundation.
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Hans van den Berg
TRAINER WORKSHOPS II & III - NEGOTIATION
Hans van den Berg is the Founder and Director of The Young Diplomat, an organisation that provides skills training on diplomacy. Currently he is also working at the Center for International Legal Cooperation in projects relating to strengthening the rule of law in Eastern Europe and the Balkan, as well as teaching at Leiden University. Hans is an expert on international negotiation in the political, public and private arena. He has given workshops on negotiation for the Diplomatic Studies Programme in Oxford.
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Paul Docherty
TRAINER WORKSHOP V - DIPLOMATIC COMMUNICATION
Paul Docherty is a Departmental Lecturer for the Diplomatic Studies Programme. He has spent most of his career in the British Council, the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. He served as Cultural Attaché/Deputy Director of the British Council in Moscow, and Cultural Counsellor/Director of the British Council in Prague, Rome, and Paris. Paul has delivered guest lectures on cultural relations, public and cultural diplomacy and soft power at universities and institutions across Europe and in the UK. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 2008.
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Adetokunbo (Toks) Hussain
TRAINER WORKSHOP VII - ADVOCACY
Toks Hussain is a multi‑award‑winning British‑Nigerian international lawyer (Bar of England and Wales). He has served at the International Criminal Court, the United Nations, and within the UK Government. A Casimir Pulaski Scholar of the European Academy of Diplomacy and former Head of the Junior Lawyers Division of the British Nigeria Law Forum, he championed international justice initiatives and built strategic links between British and Nigerian legal communities. He has spoken at Harvard Law School, the Constitutional Court of Georgia, and the House of Lords.
Applications for the 2026 Academy are now open!
Requirements:
The applicant must be a student at the University of Oxford;
No prior knowledge or expertise is required – students from all degrees are welcome;
The Conference and some of the workshops require preparation (max. 5 hours for the Conference; max. 1 hour for the workshops). The applicant must be able and willing to invest this time;
The applicant must be able and willing to attend all workshops and the Conference in a highly committed, motivated, and prepared fashion.
Application deadline: Sunday 16th January, 23.59pm
Participation Fee:
(to be paid upon accepting an offer of a place at the Academy)
Members of the Oxford Diplomatic Society: £52
Non-Members of the Oxford Diplomatic Society: £66.50
Access fee: £21*
*Read ‘‘FAQs’’ section below.
Please note we will be checking for proof of membership.
Frequently Asked Questions
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We are immensely honoured to invite leading global experts to be our workshop trainers from across the fields of international relations, diplomacy and public service, ranging from career diplomats to international lawyers and professional coaches. You will receive bespoke feedback and guidance from them throughout these workshops, and get to know a cohort of similarly motivated and talented students through the Academy programme.
The Model UN simulation at the end will be assessed by an expert jury. This is an invaluable opportunity to show off what you have learned and test your skills alongside the friends you have made!
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Effective diplomats and public servants can come from all backgrounds, and the Academy is designed to reflect this. The most important quality you can bring with you, as with any activity, is a genuine willingness to engage and make the most of the programme.
The skills developed through the workshops are broadly transferable and valuable in many professional settings; they will serve well in any workplace. The Academy focuses on how these skills are used in diplomatic and international contexts, so one of our main aims is to support all participants in developing a passion for the field! -
Then this is the perfect programme for you! The Academy is designed to introduce anyone to diplomacy and the skills involved, and presupposes no prior experience. Whether you are completely new to diplomacy or are a conference regular, everyone is more than welcome to apply.
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We are aiming to ensure costs will not hinder anyone from participating in the Academy, and are thus offering ''Access'' spots priced at £21 which guarantee the full Academy experience.
Please note this option is only open to those on a bursary scheme or financial assistance, such as Crankstart Scholars.
Unfortunately, Access spots are limited, and we will prioritise those who have no way of participating other than through the reduced fee. If you are on a scholarship but are still able to pay the full fee, please indicate so in your application, and we will do our best to allocate you a subsidised pricing depending on the ratio of applications.
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We publish our programme dates well in advance, and require that participants commit fully to all workshops and the final simulation. There will also be training sessions leading up to the simulation, some of which may be more informal and optional; those can be scheduled based on participant availability.
We understand, of course, that peoples’ schedules become clear nearer to the beginning of term, and can fill up significantly over term time. Before applying, please consider the opportunity carefully and that you will be able to commit up to two full evenings a week between Weeks 2 and 5 of Hilary term.
To guarantee you can make the most of the Academy experience, we have scheduled the sessions to take place after lectures and generally with weekends in between in order to give time to pause and reflect.
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Feel free to message the Oxford Diplomatic Society Instagram or contact our 2026 Academy Director, Ellie, directly via email at ellie.yau@st-hughs.ox.ac.uk!