Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Bert Koenders congratulates 21 junior policy officers from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and four other ministries upon the successful completion of their training (in Dutch called the ‘klasje’). 

The diplomat of today

In his speech during the closing ceremony, Minister Koenders emphasised the complexity of the international arena of today. A world with an abundance of information, where domestic and foreign policies are increasingly interlinked, requires more and better international cooperation. Today’s diplomat must be able to address  the challenges that play out in the international arena and at home. 

The Clingendael training method

The event marked the festive closing of an intensive five-week course in which the participants were prepared for their work as diplomats. The training combined sessions related to content, competences, and work processes. The programme included:

• Content: Current themes of foreign policy including planetary security, economic diplomacy and the promotion of rule of law in developing countries;
• Competences:  Diplomatic skills such as networking, negotiating, and speech writing.
• Work processes: Visits to other ministries in The Hague, strengthening knowledge of the cooperation between the Dutch ministries on international topics, cooperating with non-governmental actors. 

A new beginning

For many participants, the closing also marked a new beginning: nine of them are being posted at one of the Dutch diplomatic missions around the world;  ranging from Brasil and Bulgaria to South Sudan and Afghanistan.

Diplomats from around the world trained by Clingendael

Each year Clingendael Academy provides training to 650 foreign diplomats from over 70 countries, both at Clingendael in The Hague and on location. Diplomats must indeed be able to quickly adapt to new realities while remaining flexible towards changing patterns of diplomacy. Clingendael Academy therefore pays special attention to the ongoing trends affecting diplomats’ ability to function.