This 1-year Specialising Master is structured into three teaching modules, each offering a selection of specialised subjects and insights from distinguished scholars and industry experts, all centred around the core theme.

Each module is enriched with field visits to key institutions, including government ministries, international cultural institutes, and major international organisations, alongside excursions to cultural events, renowned museums, and historical and artistic landmarks.

1st LEVEL | Global Issues and International Relations (15 ECTS)

Global issues in international relations Democracy and the rule of law Issues in International economics The geopolitics of energy transition

2nd LEVEL - Public and Cultural Diplomacy (28 ECTS)

Public diplomacy and global engagement Intercultural communication in public diplomacy Cultural diplomacy: comparative approaches Creating reputational value Nation branding and strategic narratives Cultural diplomacy for reconciliation

3rd LEVEL - Digital and Business Diplomacy (9 ECTS)

Digital diplomacy: new media in the new public diplomacy Social media and global communication strategies Business and corporate diplomacy in the global environment

4th LEVEL - Soft Skills Workshops and Final Project Work (5 ECTS)

5th LEVEL - Internship (5 ECTS)

Following in-class sessions, starting in May 2024, all students will embark on a professional internship, offering them a valuable opportunity to put into practice the skills developed throughout the programme.

To complete the Specialising Master programme, students will produce an original, research-based project, rooted in one of the curriculum courses and developed with the guidance of a supervisor from the faculty.

Assessment and Diploma

Upon successfully completing the programme, students will be awarded a First-Level Specialising Master Diploma   issued by Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, in line with Italian Law (D.M. 509/99). This qualification requires the attainment of 60 ECTS credits through full participation in all the Specialising Master programme’s activities and positive evaluations. All programme components—including exams, the internship, and the project work—must be completed.
 

 

The 1-year Specialising Master in Advanced Public and Cultural Diplomacy for International Relations (MAPCD) is directed by:

• Professor Damiano Palano, full Professor of Political Philosophy and Director of the Department of Political Science at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
• Professor Federica Olivares, Founder and Director of the Specialising Master, Cultural Diplomacy advisor, former Counsellor for international Cultural Affairs to the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs.

 

Learn from scholars and professionals 

The faculty is composed of Italian and international scholars and professionals from global institutions and non-governmental organisations, sharing their experience with the class.
Amongst them:

• Anaïs Aguerre - Founder and Managing Director of Culture Connect; former Head of International Initiatives at the Victoria and Albert Museum
• Anton Anca - Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Journalism and Communication Sciences, University of Bucharest
• Roberta Bartoli - Associate Scholar, Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz - Max Planck Institut
• Rosanna Binacchi – Former Head of Unit for the International Relations, Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage
• Corneliu Bjola – Director, Oxford Digital Diplomacy Research Group, University of Oxford
• Nicholas J. Cull – Professor of Public Diplomacy, University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.
• Gerald Giaquinta - Professor and Academic Director, World Bachelor in Business Program, University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business
• Javier Jimenez – Director, Lord Cultural Resources, Madrid
• Kiril P. Kartaloff - Associate Professor of Diplomatic History, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
• Melissa Nisbett - Reader in Cultural Politics, Department of Culture, Media & Creative Industries, King’s College London
   

Internship: the first career step
Thanks to an extensive network and numerous opportunities to meet face-to-face with key players in cultural diplomacy during field visits, MAPCD students have access to internship opportunities that are the first step in building their professional careers. 

Below are some of the companies and organisations that have hosted our students on internships:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Italy; Ministry of Cultural Heritage – Italy; ENI; ENEL; Intesa Sanpaolo; Cassa Depositi e Prestiti; Gallerie degli Uffizi, Florence; Museo Nazionale Romano, Palazzo AltempsL; RAI; IAI - International Affairs Institute; ECFR – European Council on Foreign Relations; FAO – Food and Agricultural Organization, United Nations; Unesco; British Council; UNIDO - United Nations Industrial Development Organization; ENEL – Res4Africa Foundation; Edelman; FutureBrand; The Branding Letters; Lord Cultural Resources; Musement; TAG - Talent Garden; UNIDROIT; Festival della Diplomazia; Fondazione Santagata; Venice Sustainability World Capital Foundation; International Private Committees for the Safeguard of Venice; Stauffer Foundation; EMMA4Peace, ASEAN Italy.

Network
An extensive network of national and international companies, institutions and organisations offers MAPCD students direct exposure to the future job market. Some of the players that have collaborated in various ways with the Specialising Master are:

 

Multifold employability
Students who have completed the Specialising Master in Advanced Public and Cultural Diplomacy for International Relations are now working in different Countries within various institutions and organizations:

• Ministries of Foreign Affairs
• Ministries of Cultural Heritage
• International Institutions and Organiszations
• Global Companies
• Think Tanks and research Institutes
• Global Consultancy Firms
• NGOs

Programme dates for the a.y. 2025/26 will be available in February. For reference:
Classes for the academic year 2024/25 began on October 21, 2024 and will end by April 2025.

Attendance is mandatory.

To obtain the degree you must attend at least 75% of classes, workshops and visits.

October 2024 - April 2025	Classes and exams
May - July 2025	Internship
September 2025	Project Work submission
October 2025	Graduation