The world of negotiation is constantly changing, and especially so by the increasing need for online negotiations; a development that has certainly been exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. The need to continue negotiations online is crucial in the field of humanitarian aid. With the aim to support online humanitarian negotiation processes, Clingendael Academy developed a new training programme focusing on online negotiations. In November 2020, Clingendael celebrated two successful editions of a pioneering training programme for humanitarian aid workers from around the world.

Taking place entirely online, this programme made use of several innovative and interactive e-learning instruments to deepen the understanding and build on existing skills in the area of online negotiations.

During the two-day course, the participants were equipped with new instruments and specific knowledge to improve their ability to conduct online negotiations through different media channels. Within this broad aim, key elements of the training included:

• Honing online negotiation skills through live and chat-only negotiation simulations
• Enhancing the participants expertise on the specific challenges and opportunities of conducting negotiations online
• Strategic preparation tools to choose between physical and online negotiations, as well as which mediums to choose therein
• Sharing of experiences with colleagues from around the world to share best practices for online negotiations

All participants widely welcomed this opportunity to enhance their skills and knowledge from a distance. Especially in times of COVID-19, according to many participants, this programme provided an excellent opportunity to build relations with colleagues, expand their knowledge and acquire new skills for their line of work, in which online negotiations – through whatever way or form – are playing an increasingly important role.