Patricia Szasz of the Institute’s Intensive English Programs, Karen Hamilton, a current MA TESOL student, and Lisa Donohoe of the Center for Non-Proliferation Studies (left to right in photo) visited Baku, Azerbaijan this past week. The purpose of their trip was to perform a curriculum needs assessment for the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy. ADA currently runs the Advanced Foreign Service Program (AFSP) to train in-service diplomats in the areas of international law, politics and organizations, economic affairs, and public diplomacy. Kenley Butler from CNS was a guest lecturer for AFSP in May 2008. The curriculum team met with ADA administrators as well as current students to determine their English language training requirements. With diplomatic posts expected to triple in the coming years, the Azerbaijan Ministry of Foreign Affairs plans to ramp up their human resource capacity quickly.

ADA will also be launching a master’s degree in Diplomacy and International Affairs in the Fall of 2009. ADA hopes to attract international students from neighboring Georgia, Russia, and Turkey as well as students from Azerbaijan, and the medium of instruction will be English.  MIIS will be designing both a pre-academic summer intensive English program as well as specialized language courses in support of the master’s program.

The collaboration between the Monterey Institute seems like a natural fit, as the MA program will include specializations in International Security & Conflict Resolution, Energy & the Environment, International Business & Finance, and Caspian Basin Studies. Both institutions look forward to continued cooperation between Monterey and Baku.Patricia, Karen, Lisa

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