A Workshop on New Horizons in Technology Diplomacy in Partnership with EELISA European University at ITU

Supported by EELISA European University, of which ITU of which it is one of the founding partners, the “New Horizons in Technology Diplomacy: Challenges, Opportunities and Future Strategies Workshop” gathered leading figures in technology diplomacy from Türkiye and Europe at ITU on 13-14 January 2025.

Addressing technology diplomacy, the “New Horizons in Technology Diplomacy: Challenges, Opportunities and Future Strategies Workshop” was organized with the support of EELISA European University on 13-14 January 2025 at the Istanbul Technical University (ITU) Ayazağa Campus SDCC Senate Hall. 

The main themes of the workshop, which opened its doors under the leadership of ITU, in partnership with the Polytechnic University of Madrid, Budapest University of Economics and Technology, and Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, covered today’s two of the most critical issue, “Artificial Intelligence and Cyber ​​Security” and “Polar Research and Climate Change.” Participants from Siemens Türkiye, Istanbul Policy Center and Istanbul Bar Association also contributed to the workshop. 

At the opening of the workshop, ITU Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal gave a speech. Our Rector drew attention to the role of technology diplomacy, which is a new trend for states, civil society organizations, the business world and society today, in coping with global challenges. Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal once again underlined how critical technology diplomacy is in combating environmental, economic, geopolitical, technological and social problems such as pandemics, earthquakes and disasters by making it more accessible worldwide. 

The workshop, which was free of charge and held in English, focused on digital and green transformation processes from the perspective of science and technology diplomacy. The workshop sought answers to the questions of “Why is technology diplomacy becoming an indispensable tool for states, civil society organizations, business world and society? How is this powerful tool implemented and what kind of impact does it create on a global scale?” and more. 

During the two-day workshop, productive exchanges of ideas took place on topics such as “Rethinking Tech Diplomacy Between Strategic Motivates and Normative Commitments”, “Bridging Theory with Practice I: Tech Diplomacy in Polar Research and Climate Change”, “Bridging Theory with Practice II: Technology Diplomacy in Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity”, “Tech Diplomacy in Action: Motivates, Targets, and Instruments”, “Back to the Future: Anticipating future(s) through backcasting experiment”, and “Challenge-based Roadmapping for Technology Diplomacy”.  

ITU students from undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels had the opportunity to meet with leading academicians, decision-makers, private sector and NGO representatives in the field during the two-day workshop. On the second day, students who participated in the workshop carried out a science-based policy-making group study to overcome global challenges with the challenge-based learning method. Students who completed the final report sent to them earned 1 ECTS microcredential to be reflected in their diploma supplements.