Key definitions
- The guiding definition and conceptual framework that underpinned this dialogue on knowledge diplomacy was sourced from higher education internationalisation expert Jane Knight’s “Knowledge Diplomacy in International Relations and Higher Education” (see first paragraph above).
- There is a clear difference between knowledge diplomacy and the concept of ‘soft power’. Knowledge diplomacy is best understood as international higher education, research and innovation (IHERI) playing a mutually beneficial and cooperative role, compared to the more self-serving and dominating role IHERI can play in ‘soft power,’ defined as “the ability to obtain preferred outcomes by attraction rather than coercion or payment”.
- Knowledge diplomacy can be understood as international research or educational collaboration that also serves a positive diplomatic purpose, particularly during times of political tension.
- Knowledge diplomacy activities, whether deployed by higher education and research institutions or the countries that fund them, can strengthen alliances, foster new relationships and promote positive dialogue.
- Knowledge diplomacy is a broad term which encompasses other important and related aspects of diplomacy such as cultural diplomacy and science diplomacy.
- The latter concept has gained relatively common currency in the global scientific community since the publication of a landmark report on the topic by the Royal Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in 2010[2].
- Cultural diplomacy has a longer history as a concept, although both it and science diplomacy have been widely practiced throughout history, and it has recently become instrumental in Ukrainian universities’ knowledge diplomacy efforts during a time of war (see below).
“Diplomacy is something that becomes important in times of difficulty, essential in times of crises, but can often be sidelined when it is most needed.”
[2] Royal Society / American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 2010. New Frontiers in Science Diplomacy