Much contemporary practice of diplomacy deals with issues of international development, or the distribution of global public goods. Gaps between poor and rich countries, as well as poverty within nations, shape certain debates.  Development issues and dilemmas underpin tensions in multilateral and regional negotiations about climate change, official development assistance, reform on multilateral development banks and the IMF, remittance flows, labour mobility, cross-border infrastructure and many other issues.  

This course will help students:
- understand the global architecture that deals with development issues such as the International Monetary Fund, The World Bank, OECD, and UNDP; as well as strategies used by individual countries such as the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review in the USA;
- identify and analyse several development issues from the perspective of developing country actors and developed actors;
- examine in detail certain negotiations such as the Doha Development round of the World Trade Organisation;
- and examine emerging trends to deal with development issues such as the BRICS Bank, the Small Island Developing States Forum and south-south cooperation.

Diplomacy and Development will be the first such course of its kind, drawing together an understanding of international development issues and systems with the role of the diplomat and formal negotiations. 

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Understand and define the concept of ‘development diplomacy’, and key diplomatic agreements such as the Millennium Development Goals and the Busan Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation
   
2. Identify and examine the global and regional architecture relating to international development, and assess the roles of different actors
   
3. Critically assess the strengths and weaknesses of contemporary diplomatic debates between developing and developed countries,  and suggest strategies for resolution
   
4. Role-play and critique country positions in relation to recent negotiations such as the COP 15 in Copenhagen, or the post-2015 framework  
   
5. Analyse and critically evaluate emerging trends to deal with development issues such as the BRICS Bank, the Small Island Developing States Forum and south-south cooperation.

Research-Led Teaching

This course draws on the convener's expertise in the attention dynamics of aid policy decisionmaking. It also draws on published research on the impact of COVID-19 on the international development regime as well as work interviewing Australian and international politicians on the politics of aid.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• Written comments
• Verbal comments
• Feedback to the whole class, to groups, to individuals, focus groups

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Introduction to Diplomacy and Development
2	Origins of the 'Development Project' and the Liberal International Order
3	The International Aid Regime
4	Reinventing Aid: Development before and after the Cold War
5	From Peak Aid to Aid Crisis? The MDG Era
6	A Post-Aid World? From the SDGs to Trump
7	Taking Stock: The'Development Project' Today
8	*Public Event: The Future of Development Roundtable
9	Australia’s International Development Policy
10	The Southernisation of Development
11	Contemporary Development Advocay
12	Reimaging International Development

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Class Presentation	15 %	*	*	1,2,5
Article Summary	5 %	*	*	1,2,5
Artefact Analysis	30 %	23/03/2026	30/03/2026	1,2,3,5
Research Essay	50 %	02/06/2026	02/07/2026	1,2,3,4,5

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website Students may choose not to submit assessment items through Turnitin. In this instance you will be required to submit, alongside the assessment item itself, hard copies of all references included in the assessment item.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Assessment Task 1

Class Presentation

Students will deliver a 5-minute presentation based on an assigned reading. The class presentation is designed to provide your colleagues with a snapshot of the article and your impressions of it. You may use a maximum of three PowerPoint (or equivalent) slides to aid your presentation. There is no ‘appropriate’ format. Rather, the presentation is an opportunity to demonstrate your creativity. The crucial task is to try and distill the essence of the article in a memorable way to encourage your colleagues to remember the core argument it presents. 

The presentation will be submitted as a recorded file, to allow for playback in class and via Canvas. Feedback will be provided following weekly submissions.

Assessment Task 2

Article Summary

The article summary, of no more than one A4 page, is also designed to give you colleagues a short summary of your assigned article (the same as per Assessment Task 1 above). All summaries will be posted to Canvas to assist your colleagues. Article summaries should include (but are not limited to):

 ·      Title, author and details of book or journal the piece is taken from, including publication date;

·      Brief context, including location of the piece in the wider debate (e.g. aims of the author in the piece, whether it is a response to another author);

·      Main arguments put forward by the author.

Note that article summaries will be posted as a resource for fellow students. Feedback will be provided after weekly submissions. 

Assessment Task 3

Artefact Analysis

Students are required submit an essay that examines the significance of one the International Development Diplomacy Artefacts from the list provided (two per seminar across seminars 2 through 4). The analysis should primarily focus on explaining three things:

 

1.     What your chosen ‘artefact’ represented/represents in the context of the post-WWII ‘story’ of international development;

2.     The scope and scale of its impact on the trajectory of the international development regime; and’;

3.     The nature of its contemporary legacy legacy.

Word Length:                1,500 words

Assessment Task 4

Research Essay

Students will respond to one of five essay questions, each of which require contemplating the potential future of an aspect of development diplomacy (coinciding with the topics explored in Module 2). Essay responses should convey a clear opinion or position about the likely future direction of the relevant dimention of development. They should also reflect and demonstrate an understanding of the historial trajectory of the international aid regime (i.e. the material covered in Module 1). Ideally, responses will draw on examples, anecdotes and readings from the course.

Word Length:                3,000 words

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of our culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically. This means that all members of the community commit to honest and responsible scholarly practice and to upholding these values with respect and fairness. The Australian National University commits to embedding the values of academic integrity in our teaching and learning. We ensure that all members of our community understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with. The University has policies and procedures in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Visit the following Academic honesty & plagiarism website for more information about academic integrity and what the ANU considers academic misconduct. The ANU offers a number of services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. The Academic Skills and Learning Centre offers a number of workshops and seminars that you may find useful for your studies.

Online Submission

The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

If an assessment task is not submitted by the due date, a mark of 0 will be awarded. OR Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure The Course Convener may grant extensions for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information. In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service — including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy. If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes. Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students