Diplomatische Akademie Wien Vienna School of International Studies

“The Past is Never Dead”

Graduate programs at the Diplomatische Akademie Wien – Vienna School of International Studies (DA) prepare students to excel in a range of international careers. Located in the heart of Vienna, the DA is near international organizations, nongovernmental organizations, diplomatic missions, and cultural institutions. With alumni from over 120 countries, the DA has a vast alumni network.

How are the lessons of history linked to current events in your program?

History is, at its core, related to understanding current events. In a multidisciplinary program such as the one at the DA, we teach students how the current international system, economies, and politics of different countries have been shaped by various ideas, people, and events. Instead of taking an anachronistic approach to history, where the past is discussed as a precursor inevitably leading to the present, we ask our students to critically analyze the contingencies and the specific contexts of each historical event. While many of the challenges we face today are a product of a certain set of trends, circumstances, and agents, history provides the opportunity to study epochs when we had previously faced similar challenges. No two events are the same, and history never fully repeats itself. However, we can certainly learn from the different ideas, reactions, and mistakes of our predecessors.

What skills are needed to help students prepare to manage crises and global risk over time? What leadership traits are needed to navigate uncertainty?

Managing crises and global risks requires a multifaceted understanding of current problems. The DA’s multidisciplinary approach—where students gain skills and knowledge in history, economics, political science, and law—prepares our students to understand the complexity of the issues seen in the international arena. In an increasingly uncertain world, we aspire to train leaders in various areas by providing the opportunity for our students to specialize in different disciplines, regions, and approaches through our seminar courses and completion of their final theses. They also benefit from interacting and learning from the vibrant alumni network of the DA and the strong diplomatic community in Vienna.

How is the role of technology in politics and international affairs changing?

Technological advancement has shaped and transformed global and international affairs throughout history. One of the main areas where technology has affected politics and changed the definition of the public arena is communications. From the introduction of mass print to telegram, telephone, television, and—finally—internet, technology has transformed how people interact with the state and how states communicate with each other. Similar to our current issues with social media and cybersecurity, all these new technologies meant reaching out to more people over longer distances and quicker than previously conceivable. However, security issues such as interception and spread of misinformation became more and more acute as these technologies became more effective. While the communication technology has become more advanced and complex, many of the challenges and opportunities it has created in politics and international affairs can be seen in a long line of advancements throughout history. There is, therefore, much to learn from the past.