The document discusses how countries compete for talented individuals through higher education and science. It notes that traditional sources of power like economy and military are now linked to education levels and technological advancement. Countries establish international education hubs and programs like Erasmus to attract foreign students, gain prestige, and build understanding. However, competition for top students and "brain drain" can also harm countries. Overall, the document argues that higher education is becoming an important part of foreign policy and international trade as the global economy shifts to knowledge-based.
Smart power. The role of education and science in public diplomacy
1. Smart power.
The role of education and
science in public diplomacy.
Katarzyna Rybka-Iwańska
Course on Public Diplomacy 2017
2. Why do countries fight for the
brightest of the brightests?
The traditional factors building the power of states (i.e. economy
and military strength) are increasingly interlinked with the level of
science, R&D, technology and the level of education; examples:
Banking systems require multidimensional thinking (watch The Big
Short!)
Building advanced helicopters, drones, tanks requires the best of
the best technologies
Building a modern diplomatic service requires a new, global
education
Katarzyna Rybka-Iwańska
3. The technological revolution = the
jobs revolution
Katarzyna Rybka-Iwańska
Source:
http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_FOJ_Executive_Summary_Jobs.pdf
4. Why do countries fight for the
brightest of the brightests?
MEGATRENDS: the fourth industrial – or rather technological
revolution.
Automatization
Robots
Artificial intelligence
But: robots and AI will not replace everything. Processes requiring
abstract, creative thinking and building various kinds of relations
(mutual understanding!) will build workplaces for the best
specialists in a variety of sectors.
Katarzyna Rybka-Iwańska
5. Why do countries fight for the
brightest of the brightests?
The transition from an industry-based to a knowledge-based
economy.
The increasing focus on knowledge generates new and intensifies
already existing transnational interactions
Knowledge is more globalised than economy and therefore even
less controllable
Institutions of higher learning produce national and international
elites for the spheres of policitcs and business
Katarzyna Rybka-Iwańska
Anna Wojciuk
6. Why do countries fight for the
brightest of the brightests?
In the era of the knowledge-based economy, higher education
becomes more important:
As something power can draw upon (power as resource)
As a tool of foreign policy (power as influence)
Cooperation oriented toward mutual benefits
Competition for people, competition of systems
Higher education as a part of international trade
Katarzyna Rybka-Iwańska
Anna Wojciuk
7. Cooperation oriented toward mutual
benefits
Gaining prestige abroad, especially among the present or future
elites of the country foreign students come from
Building mutual understanding between countries
Fostering international mobility of students
Not commercial – does not bring profits to the inviting
country/institution; often subsidised by the inviting
country/institution
Should aim at limiting the risk of brain drain
Katarzyna Rybka-Iwańska
Anna Wojciuk
8. Competition for people, competition
of systems
When one country is gaining, the other is losing precious resources
in relative terms (brain drain)
The braindrainers usualy search for people whose real capacities
can be assessed in order to minimize the risk of investing in the
wrong individuals
The other way: to encourage one’s own citizens who have studied
abroad to come and start working in their home country
(demographic crisis = a shrinking pool of talent)
Non-English speaking countries face difficulties and have to
undertake special policies to be able to attract the best and
brightest
Katarzyna Rybka-Iwańska
Anna Wojciuk
9. Higher education as a part of
international trade
Export of knowledge becomes a part of international trade and
higher education as a resource that produces wealth
The host country is not in any way subsidising foreign students –
they are expected to fully cover tuition fees and the costs of living
The inviting country makes permanent immigration and
employment difficult
Katarzyna Rybka-Iwańska
Anna Wojciuk
10. The Global Competitiveness Index
framework Katarzyna Rybka-Iwańska
Source: http://www3.weforum.org/docs/GCR2016-
2017/05FullReport/TheGlobalCompetitivenessReport2016-
2017_FINAL.pdf
11. Alumni of the Fulbright Program
Butrus Butrus Ghali, former UN SG
Javier Solana
Sylvia Plath
Umberto Eco
Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz, former PM
Marek Belka, former PM
Dariusz Rosati, former MFA
Grzegorz Kołodko, former MF
Katarzyna Rybka-Iwańska
12. EU Erasmus – growing mobility of students;
growing support for the EU integration?
Katarzyna Rybka-Iwańska
Source:
http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/education_culture/repository/education/library/statistics
/erasmus-plus-facts-figures_en.pdf
13. EU Erasmus – growing mobility of
students; growing support for the EU
integration?
Katarzyna Rybka-Iwańska
Source:
http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/education_culture/repository/education/library/statistics
/erasmus-plus-facts-figures_en.pdf
14. EU Erasmus Mundus – EU public
diplomacy towards the third countries
Katarzyna Rybka-Iwańska
Source:
http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/educa
tion_culture/repository/educati
on/library/statistics/erasmus-
plus-facts-figures_en.pdf
15. International education hubs in Asia
Katarzyna Rybka-Iwańska
Source:
http://wenr.wes.org/2015/07/
developing-international-
education-hubs-asia
16. International education hubs in Africa
and the Middle East
Katarzyna Rybka-Iwańska
Source: http://www.higher-
education-
marketing.com/blog/internati
onal-education-hubs
17. Shanghai List
But: there are totally 9
universities breaking into the
Top 100 list in 2016, among
which Tsinghua University
(CN), Peking University (CN),
Monash University (AU),
National University of
Singapore, Mayo Medical
School (US) and the University
of Texas M. D. Anderson
Cancer Center make their first
appearance in the Top 100.
This is also the first time for
China and Singapore to have
Top 100 universities in the
world.
Katarzyna Rybka-Iwańska
Source:
http://www.shanghairanking.com/Academic-
Ranking-of-World-Universities-2016-Press-
Release.html
19. Education diplomacy – a different
perspective
To uphold education as a human right and essential for the
realization of all other human rights cross-cultural
communication is key in this respect
Build consensus around the role and benefits of education in an
increasingly complex world
Secure the responsibility of governments to provide education in
their nations
Inform global leaders about the benefits of education
Enlighten educators and the public about how education
contributes to peace, global security, and sustainability
Place education at the center of the global development agenda
by bridging education to positive social, economic, health, and
environmental outcomes
Katarzyna Rybka-Iwańska
Source: http://www.educationdiplomacy.org/overview/
20. Malala Yousafzai
A Pakistani activist fighting and
campaigning for education accross the
globe, especially for the access to
education for girls in the least developed
and developing countries
The youngest laureate of the Peace
Nobel Prize (2014 – 17 yrs old), also a
laureate of the Sakharov Prize, Simone
de Beauvior Prize, the Freedom Award –
and many others
One of the most influential people in the
world in 2013-2015 (Time magazine)
Founded the Malala Fund
Katarzyna Rybka-Iwańska
Source: https://pl.pinterest.com/pin/381680137154029631/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3lyymTRVKw
22. SDGs
The Sustainable Development Goals were introduced by the
General Assembly of the UN in 2015.
Katarzyna Rybka-Iwańska
Source:
http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-
development-goals/
23. Questions for discussion
In what sense is the education key in enhancing prosperity and
security?
How do countries compete on the international educational
market? Who are the other stakeholders?
Is education controversial as a public diplomacy dimension?
How can education enhance the positive image of a country and
its brand?
Katarzyna Rybka-Iwańska
24. Literature
‣ Wojciuk Anna, International Power Dimensions of Higher
Education in the Age of Knowledge, in: Stosunki
Międzynarodowe – International Relations, No 1, vol. 49,
Warsaw University 2014: http://www.pl.ism.uw.edu.pl/wp-
content/uploads/2013/02/SM49-14-Wojciuk.pdf
‣ 2016-2017 Global Competitiveness Report, World Economic
Forum: http://www3.weforum.org/docs/GCR2016-
2017/05FullReport/TheGlobalCompetitivenessReport2016-
2017_FINAL.pdf
‣ 2016 Human Development Index http://report.hdr.undp.org/
Katarzyna Rybka-Iwańska
25. Thank you very much for your
attention!
Let’s stay in touch:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katarzyn
a-rybka-iwa%C5%84ska-08856b133/
Katarzyna Rybka-Iwańska