The emergence of an era of new geopolitics is arguably one of the most defining features of the 21st century. This contemporary global political landscape has raised new questions and concerns for international education surrounding our engagement and relationship with maligned actors and forces. International education is defined as a wide range of “activities that link people and educational institutions.”

International education is defined as a wide range of “activities that link people and educational institutions.” It is considered an important tool of public diplomacy that can enhance a country’s soft power through educational exchanges that can build its diplomatic relations and strengthen its global positioning.

Roopa Desai Trilokekar, CPD’s 2021 Canada-U.S. Fulbright Visiting Research Chair in PD, will discuss her current research, which examines the nature of the relationship between public diplomacy and national security when it comes to international education and how this is shifting in the context of new geopolitics. Trilokekar’s research examines a comparative case study analysis between the U.S. and Canada, and our discussion with her will illuminate this changing relationship by addressing two research questions: 1) How do increased concerns of national security impact international education as a public diplomacy tool? 2) How do these shifting discourses impact the role of universities as critical non-state public diplomacy actors?

Moderating this conversation is Joëlle Uzarski, the U.S. Department of State Public Diplomat in Residence (2020–2022) at CPD. 

RSVP