Diplomatic Academy of Vienna

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Diplomatic Academy of Vienna
Diplomatische Akademie Wien
Established: 1754
Rector: Jiří Gruša
Students: 130
Location: Vienna, Austria
Website: http://www.da-vienna.ac.at

The Diplomatic Academy of Vienna (German: Diplomatische Akademie Wien, colloquially known as the "DA"), with roots tracing back to 1754, is a graduate school of International Relations located in Vienna, Austria. The Academy offers Masters degrees in advanced international studies as well as a Diploma programme, both of which train students in international history, diplomacy, law, economics, politics, and include a strong emphasis on language proficiency. The institution is relatively small, averaging around 130 students spread among its three academic programmes.

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[edit] History

The Diplomatic Academy considers itself the successor to the Oriental Academy, which was founded in 1754, during the reign of Empress Maria Theresa. It is from this ancestral institution that the claim to being one of the world's oldest institutions of its kind is made. Originally the purpose of the Academy was to prepare diplomats for service in the eastern diplomatic missions, and as a result considerable emphasis was placed on language study – including Persian, Turkish and Arabic – and economics.

At the end of the nineteenth century, the Oriental Academy became the Imperial Consular Academy, which outlived the Austro-Hungarian Empire by two years. The institution carried on under new ownership in the 1920s and 1930s and survived until shortly after the Anschluss with Nazi Germany, in 1938. The Diplomatic Academy was reopened in 1964 by Austrian Chancellor Bruno Kreisky as a state-run institution, offering a two-year Diploma course tailored particularly towards training young Austrians for the diplomatic service (although international students always took part as well). It was in fact attached to the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and considered Abteilung V des BMAA. The number of participants for each class (Lehrgang) was limited to 20 students. The first director was Ernst Florian Winter.

In 1996 the institution was partially privatized and relaunched in a modernization process that is still underway. The institution began offering a Master's degree concomitant to the Diploma programme in 1996; in 1999 this programme was elaborated into a 2-year degree modeled on those offered by Anglo-Saxon institutions such as Johns Hopkins' Paul H. Nitze School for Advanced International Studies (SAIS) or Georgetown's Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service.

Since 2005, the Academy has been headed by Ambassador Jiří Gruša, a noted writer of Czech origin and member of Charta 77 who is also head of International PEN.

[edit] Academics

While the Academy is divided into 3 major programmes of study (see below), all share the fundamental tenets. There are 4 "core" areas of tuition: Modern History, International and European Law, Political Science, and Economics. Additionally, the study of languages is very important.

[edit] Main Programmes of Study

The Diploma Course (German: Diplomlehrgang) is the oldest established programme, with entry by competitive examination. It was initially designed to help young Austrians enter the Austrian foreign service; indeed the diploma was a requirement for taking the Préalable exam if students had not previously studied the relevant fields. The Diploma programme includes courses in Economics, International Law, European Law, Political Science, Modern History and soft skills. Knowledge of English, German and French – at least at a functional level - is strongly preferred, as some courses are taught in these languages. The Diploma Course also serves as the first year of the 2-year MAIS programme.

The Master of Advanced International Studies (MAIS) is a postgraduate degree offered jointly with the University of Vienna. This is usually a two-year programme, although students may enter directly into the 2nd year if they are well-qualified. Courses are multi-disciplinary, covering the fields of Economics, International Law, European Law, Political Science, and Modern History. The culminating product of the MAIS is the Master's thesis, which is to be multidisciplinary in nature. The language of instruction is English.

Starting in 2007-2008, the Academy has offered the Master of Science in Environmental Technology and International Affairs degree, jointly awarded with the Technical University of Vienna. The first year of this programme is similar in content to the first year of the MAIS; in the second year students take more courses at the Technical University and write a thesis involving environmental technology.[1]

[edit] Language Study

The study of foreign languages was one of the pillars of the original Oriental Academy founded by Maria Theresa, and it remains an integral part of the Academy's tuition today.

All students in first-year are required to study English and German (unless they can speak it at mother tongue level); participants in the Diploma programme must also study French. During the regular academic year the study of these languages is a core component of tuition, most mornings being devoted to language classes.

The Academy also offers a number of other language courses on an optional basis. For participants of the MAIS, French is offered as an optional course. For students of all programmes, the Academy in 2007-2008 offered evening classes in Chinese, Russian, Spanish, and Arabic.

[edit] Structure of Academic Year and Teaching

[edit] First-Year

The academic year runs from October through June and is divided into three trimesters. The fall trimester (Oct-Dec) tends to concentrate on introductory courses in all 4 areas. Students are required to take those courses, unless they majored in the area during their undergraduate studies. In the winter (Jan-March) and spring (April-June) trimesters, courses become more advanced and more frequent. There are two breaks during the year, for Christmas and Easter.

Course styles vary from strict lecture format to more informal seminars. Most evaluation is based on final examinations, although some courses require papers.

[edit] Second-Year

The first semester of the second year runs from October until December. Students are required to take at least 4 "core courses", covering at least 3 academic disciplines, all of which lead to final examinations in December. During the winter and spring semesters students take intensive seminars, for which they are to write seminar papers, and work on their Master's Theses.

Course scheduling for the second year of study at the Diplomatic Academy is much lighter than for the first year - there are far fewer class hours per week, and language study is optional - allowing many students to obtain internships or work on the side.

[edit] Exchange Possibilities and Study Trips

All programmes feature study trips as integral elements. The first year programmes travel to Brussels and Luxembourg in order to visit the major EU institutions, and an optional study trip to Sciences-Po in Nancy, France also exists. The second year features study trips to the Ukraine as well as to the Balkans. Most costs for these trips are included in the regular tuition. Visits to some of the institutions located in Vienna, such as the UN, IAEA, OSCE, and OPEC, are also offered.

The study of the Russian and Chinese languages is supplemented by optional study trips to China and Russia, which take place in the summer months following the completion of the academic year. These trips are also subsidized by the Academy, though participants must bear some of the cost.

Exchange agreements exist with some comparable institutions, including Sciences-Po, the Paul H. Nitze School for Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, through which students may study one year at each institution.

[edit] Other Activities

In addition to its primary function as a postgraduate professional school, the DA also runs a number of ancillary events, including:

  • Summer language courses in German
  • Special training courses for young diplomats from emerging democracies
  • Host location for various conferences
  • Host location for guest lectures by visiting academics
  • Host location for addresses by visiting State dignitaries

[edit] Location and Premises

The Diplomatic Academy is situated in the fourth district of Vienna (Wieden), at Favoritenstrasse 15a. The building is approximately 10 minutes by foot from the Vienna State Opera and the historic first district, and conveniently located directly on the Subway line U1 (Taubstummengasse). The institution occupies part of the premises of the former Favorita palace built by Maria Theresa. It shares this large building with an elite Austrian secondary school, the Theresianum.

The premises of the DA include a large, multi-purpose lecture hall as well as numerous smaller classrooms; a computer room; a dining room and kitchen serving prepared meals during the week; a bar area and social space; the library of the foreign ministry; and a modest gym. Access is available for students to the larger gym facilities and swimming pool located in the Theresianum.

[edit] Residence and Board

The Diplomatic Academy offers limited room and board for its students. The upper two-floors of the building are devoted to residence rooms. There are about 40 single-rooms available, with modest kitchen facilities as well as laundry. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in the dining room during the week; these meals are available through optional board plans or on a single-meal basis.

[edit] Notable Alumni

[edit] Oriental Academy and Imperial Consular Academy

[edit] Diplomatic Academy

  • Dr. Ernst Sucharipa (1947-2005),1974. Austrian Ambassador; Austrian Envoy for Holocaust Restitution Issues; Director of the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna (1999-2005)

[edit] References

  1. ^ Diplomatic Academy of Vienna

[edit] External links

Languages