NSFA Award Grant by U.S. Department of State, U.S. Embassy-Tokyo, and U.S. Consulate General-Sapporo
The Center for National Security and Foreign Affairs (NSFA) housed at the Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, was awarded a grant to develop and organize the U.S.-Japan Diplomacy Academy for university students in Northern Japan.
The diplomatic academy is designed to offer Japanese university students in Northern Japan a better understanding of the workings of diplomacy and defense dealing with the U.S. – Japan alliance and the joint response to regional and international security threats. The Academy consists of four modules: Engagement–Based Teaching, Professional Communication, Experiential Learning, and Simulation, to allow students interested in international security to interact with fellow students, mentors, expert faculty, and military officials while developing valuable skills in policy analysis and presentation.
There will be two, one-week academies in the fall of 2024. The first location will be at Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan and the second at Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan. The academy will be taught by Krista Wiegand, professor and director of NSFA, who has 25 years of research expertise studying territorial and maritime disputes, conflict resolution, and East Asian security. Elis Vllasi, senior research associate and lecturer at NSFA, will also be teaching at the academy. Vllasi’s research examines hybrid warfare operations by Russia and China and he has extensive experience leading summer field schools about international relations and security.
This program is funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Embassy-Tokyo, U.S. Consulate General-Sapporo.