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FCDO: International Academy

FCDO: International Academy

Welcome to the International Academy’s collection of online courses, created in partnership with The Open University.

These courses are part of the Practitioner Level curricula of the Understanding the UK, Law and Multilateral Faculties. They have been created by practitioners with expert support. More information about each course is available on individual course pages, which you can access below.

You are welcome to use the courses for self-study at your own pace, although we hope that many people will work through them as part of an organised programme of study with colleagues. Faculties will be organising ‘cohorts’ of learners and setting up learning groups to provide a rich learning experience.

Anyone who passes a course’s overall assessment – usually an end-of-course multiple choice quiz – will be awarded a digital International Academy/Open University ‘badge’. As well as being internal evidence of completing a Practitioner Level module, these badges can be attached to CVs, LinkedIn profiles and so on.

The courses are open to all UK government staff who might find them of value in their international work. There is no charge for access. Please contact the International Academy team on International.Academy@fco.gov.uk if you have any queries, comments or feedback on the course content. Any technical enquiries should be directed to openlearncreate@open.ac.uk.

Before you can begin studying you need to take these steps to ensure you can access the courses:

  1. Please register with OpenLearn Create. You can do this simply by clicking on the ‘Sign in/sign up’ green button at the top right-hand side of this page and following the instructions.
  2. You will need the enrolment access code, which you will be prompted to enter once you select the 'Enrol' button on the module website. Enrolment keys can be accessed on FCDO GLO. If you don't have an FCDO GLO account, you will need to create one using your gov.uk email account.
  3. Once you're in FCDO GLO, you can find the enrolment key for the relevant faculty in their faculty area. Alternatively, go to ‘catalogue’ in the top menu bar on GLO and search for ‘Open Learn Enrolment Keys‘.
  4. Once you’ve registered and have the access code, you can click on any of the courses listed below to get started!

If you experience any registration or enrolment issues, please email openlearncreate@open.ac.uk.

Devolution and Foreign Policy builds on the knowledge you have built on devolution through your work and from studying the foundation course. It has been written by practitioner colleagues in the FCDO’s Devolution Unit based on their experience of frequently asked questions about regular and sometimes irregular events and scenarios that arise in your area of work when working with partners in the devolved nations of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

The Law, Foreign Policy and You provides you with an understanding of some fundamental principles of the rule of law and international law. This will give a legal context to your work in the FCDO, including legal powers and constraints that underpin it and equip you to make robust decisions.

Multilateral Architecture is the first of four courses that builds on International Academy Foundation Level Module 3. It provides a deeper understanding of the multilateral system and its role in global politics, and a clear and sophisticated understanding of why and how the UK does multilateral diplomacy.

Conflict provides you with a deeper factual and practical understanding of the complexity of armed conflict and instability, the importance of and how to conduct good quality conflict analysis, and the national and international principles and commitments guiding UK conflict policy.

Conflict Policy Tools and Responses gives you clear and practical knowledge and understanding of conflict policy tools, their individual strengths and limitations, how they differ, and the interplay between them, to gain a better understanding of which policy response to recommend when the UK responds to a conflict.

Human Rights gives you a deeper understanding of what human rights are and the key elements of law, policy and theory, to understand the UK’s position on human rights and the implications for FCDO work, and how to develop an effective human rights policy.

Economic Diplomacy: Promoting our Prosperity is designed to give staff the knowledge and skills needed to work successfully on the broad range of subjects that make up economic diplomacy. It has been structured around three main themes, or ‘pillars’:

  • Economic growth: How staff can help to promote the right conditions for international trade, investment and growth, and how to work effectively with key UK sectors and business.
  • Economic security: Examining our role in issues such as climate change, energy security and global health.
  • Economic influence: A closer look at the international organisations that are most relevant to Prosperity work, and learning from real-world examples of economic diplomacy.
  • Devolution and Foreign Policy

    Devolution and Foreign Policy

    The course equipped a deeper understanding of devolution and its implications for day-to-day work. This ranged from consular and visits handling to multilateral work, trade promotion and communications (comms). It provided skills required to effectively handle different situations that are likely to be faced.

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    Course

    12 hrs

  • The Law, Foreign Policy and You

    The Law, Foreign Policy and You

    The course covered the rule of law, the rules-based international system, key concepts of international law, principles of good decision-making, judicial review, civil claims, as well as a case study on the Chilcot Inquiry. It was written by legal advisers in FCDO Legal Directorate, in conjunction with The Open University.  

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    Course

    12 hrs

  • Multilateral Architecture (Multilateral 1)

    Multilateral Architecture (Multilateral 1)

    The course provided a deeper understanding of the multilateral system and its role in global politics, and a clear and sophisticated understanding of why and how the UK does multilateral diplomacy. It enabled an understanding of how to operate effectively through, and within, relevant international organisations.

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    Course

    24+ hrs

  • Conflict (Multilateral 2)

    Conflict (Multilateral 2)

    The course provided a deeper factual and practical understanding of the complexity of armed conflict and instability. It highlighted the importance of, and helped to develop skills to conduct good quality conflict analysis. It introduced the principles and commitments guiding the UK’s conflict policy at both the national and international levels. It also enabled an understanding of the relevant issues and challenges involved in formulating and implementing conflict policy.

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    Course

    23 hrs

  • Conflict Policy Tools and Responses (Multilateral 3)

    Conflict Policy Tools and Responses (Multilateral 3)

    The course considered thematic conflict policy tools and responses to help establish a deeper technical understanding of the range of potential conflict policy responses. It provided a detailed introduction to the extensive range of UN peace operations, as well as the UN’s peace and security architecture.

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    Course

    20 hrs

  • Human Rights (Multilateral 4)

    Human Rights (Multilateral 4)

    The course enabled a deeper understanding of human rights law, policy and practice: including why and how the UK takes practical diplomatic action on human rights. Human rights situations are infinitely variable and context specific, it therefore equipped Learners with the knowledge and tools needed to work on human rights issues and policies effectively.

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    Course

    20 hrs

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