Geneva Digital Passport

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The Geneva Digital Atlas is a comprehensive mapping
of Geneva-based actors engaged in digital policy and
the internet governance scene. The Atlas provides
in-depth coverage of the activities of over 40 actors,
cataloguing their policy processes, core instruments,
and featured events.
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How to use this passport
LINKING THE PHYSICAL TO THE DIGITAL
Dear readers,
Before flipping through the pages, take a moment to
feel the weight of the passport.
It holds information distilled from more than 600 pages
of the Geneva Digital Atlas 2.0, institutional knowledge
of more than 40 global policy actors, Diplo’s 20 years of
experience and research, and more.
This passport is not a mere summary of the Atlas; it
is a guide that takes you on an expedition through the
sprawling Genevan digital policymaking landscape.
We will walk you through the cultural and philosophical
history that fostered the EspriTech de Genève; the lively
digital governance ecosystem; and the most salient
digital topics discussed in the city today.
The physical booklet is linked to the digital space
where knowledge knows no bounds.
Scan the QR codes and access the curated online
learning experience of the Geneva Digital Atlas and all
other resources. Have a safe journey!
Sincerely,
DiploFoundation / Geneva Internet Platform Team
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EspriTech de Genève
Why does technology meet humanity in Geneva, you
might ask.
Most people probably don’t know that Geneva is where
more than 50% of global digital policy discussions take
place. The city’s importance shines through pages of
history.
Over the centuries, Geneva has been a unique place that
harbours what can be called the EspriTech de Genève
(the tech spirit of Geneva).
Geneva was home to influential philosophers, writers,
and scientists whose critical reflections on the techhumanity
interplay still ring true today.
Almost 500 years ago, John Calvin found refuge in this
city and began to spread his theology, teaching, and
thinking. His ideas, later known as Calvinism, travelled
from Europe to the United States; his notions of free
will and entrepreneurship became fundamental to
the formation of Silicon Valley and the development of
modern technology.
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Calvin
Bonnet
Rousseau
de Saussure

From Charles Bonnet’s intuition about neural networks
to Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s conceptualisation of social
contracts; from Ferdinand de Saussure’s linguistic
research to Jorge Luis Borges’ search for meaning
amid the flood of information; from Mary Shelley’s
challenge of the ethics of progress to Voltaire’s
philosophy that underpinned the Enlightenment and
scientific inquiries; Geneva has been the thinking terroir
of how humans and technology interact.
Today, in Geneva and the world, we find ourselves at a
turning point facing changes and challenges triggered
by rapid technological growth. As humanity steps
out of its comfort zone into the unknown, certainty
ends, opportunities begin, and risks arise. Join us on
a historical and philosophical tour to explore Geneva’s
contribution to the critical interplay between technology
and humanity.
Borges
Shelley
Voltaire
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Mapping
As you flip through the pages,
wander around the city
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the actors
where technology
meets humanity...
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Global digital governance
architecture
1998 was a milestone year in the evolution of what we
now call the global digital governance architecture.
The idea of a World Summit on the Information
Society (WSIS) was born; the Internet Corporation
for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) was
established; the World Trade Organization (WTO)
adopted a moratorium on customs duties for electronic
transactions. These three elements had and continue to
have direct connections with Geneva.
Many Geneva-based UN agencies act as action line
facilitators in implementing WSIS outcomes. The
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and other
agencies organise yearly WSIS Forums to facilitate
debates and share good practices that contribute to
sustainable development. The Commission on Science
and Technology for Development (CSTD) is the focal
point for the UN system-wide follow-up to the WSIS
outcomes. The Internet Governance Forum (IGF)
Secretariat in Geneva convenes working meetings
to prepare for its annual forum and advance its
intersessional work. ICANN, though headquartered
in the USA, has a Genevan office to engage with the
dynamic digital governance community.
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About Geneva Internet
Platform and DiploFoundation
The Geneva Internet Platform (GIP) is an initiative
supported by the Swiss Federal Department of
Foreign Affairs (FDFA), the Swiss Federal Office of
Communications (OFCOM), and the Republic and Canton
of Geneva. It is operated by DiploFoundation (Diplo).
The GIP engages actors, fosters meaningful dialogues
on digital governance, and monitors digital policy
processes in Geneva. It also provides a neutral and
inclusive space for digital policy debates, recognised as
a platform where different views can be voiced and the
risks and vulnerabilities of technology addressed.
Diplo is a non-profit organisation established in
2002 by the governments of Malta and Switzerland.
It has offices in Malta, Switzerland, Serbia, and the
USA. With the mission to increase capacities and
strengthen voices of actors from small and developing
countries in diplomacy and global governance, Diplo’s
main activities are dedicated to developing capacity,
organising meetings and events,
delivering courses, conducting
research, publishing analyses, and
experimenting with technological
tools.
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10 technologies
From personal computers to large data centres; from the
conference room to outer space; what are the key technologies
enabling the digital world?

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DIGITAL PASSPORT
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the talk of the town in
Geneva.
The year-round AI for Good initiative led by the
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) draws
a lot of media attention. In addition, AI as a topic and
as a tool has already begun a quiet revolution in many
organisations, transitioning their modus operandi and
becoming a strong focus in their work.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO), for
example, coordinates one of the most complex data
networks in the world spanning 17 satellites, thousands
of aircraft and ships, and nearly 11,500 land-based
stations to provide AI analyses and forecasts.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and ITU have
established a Focus Group on AI for Health (FG-AI4H)
to examine AI-based methods for diagnosis, triage, and
other treatment decisions.
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DIGITAL PASSPORT
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The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
has adopted AI-enabled smart searches and translations
to facilitate intellectual property documentation work.
The UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR)
is investigating the implications of military AI and its
incorporation into traditional weaponry and autonomous
systems. The list of ‘someone doing something about AI’
in Geneva is growing.
Believing in walking the talk, DiploFoundation (Diplo)
experiments with digital technologies and builds its
own AI tools for research and educational purposes.
DiploAI is a domain-specific AI system that was
fine-tuned for diplomatic and policy-relevant texts;
it enables Diplo researchers to build customisable
AI assistants for courses, diplomatic training, and
research. Furthermore, Diplo launched an AI Campus
for diplomats, policymakers, and other stakeholders,
delivering a series of courses on AI governance, policies,
and practical AI tools.
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DIGITAL PASSPORT
Cloud computing
Since 2008, the largest particle accelerator in
the world – the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) – has
been working tirelessly underground across the
Switzerland-France border, helping scientists at the
European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)
in their efforts to crack the secret of the universe.
The scale and complexity of data generated by the LHC
require tremendous processing power and storage.
How do CERN scientists analyse its data and share
the results seamlessly with collaborators across the
world?
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DIGITAL PASSPORT
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Cloud (distributed) computing, the backbone of this
exercise, offers access to their data and services from
devices anywhere with an internet connection. The
technology allows CERN to move data stored on hard
disks to remote server farms and perform complex
computations beyond the capacity of a single laptop.
With this comes the possibility for individuals to develop
AI models and useful software. Find out how the
International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
and the International Electrotechnical Commission
(IEC) provide technical overview and service agreement
standards for distributed platforms.
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DIGITAL PASSPORT
Virtual reality
From 3 Body Problem by Liu Cixin to Ready Player One
by Ernest Cline, the notion of a digital alternative reality
has long been seared in the public mind. While an
elaborate metaverse is still more of a sci-fi concept,
Geneva actors have begun exploring the benefits of
virtual reality (VR) technologies.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) launched the Global
Collaboration Village, an extended reality platform
dedicated to public-private collaboration. Delivering an
immersive experience, the village enables participants
across the globe to jointly solve complex problems.
A pioneer in conference hosting, the Internet
Governance Forum (IGF) 2023 created a virtual
platform for its 2023 forum, where people who couldn’t
travel to the physical site could still listen in from the
virtual conference halls and learn about different
actors from their virtual information booths. The World
Intellectual Property Organization
(WIPO) also regularly hosts virtual
exhibitions to guide visitors through
different aspects of innovation,
research and development, and
intellectual property.
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DIGITAL PASSPORT
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Blockchain
Blockchain reached the peak of the tech hype cycle
when non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and cryptocurrencies
became a hit in the 2022 market; it holds more potential
than being a lucrative token, though. Blockchain can
be applied to documenting supply chain performance
with increased efficiency; facilitating transparent
property transactions; preserving legal evidence; and
providing a secure and reliable structure for financial,
administrative, and health data.
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and
the International Organization for Standardization
(ISO) are heavily involved in standardising this field,
tackling issues from data protection to security
requirements. ITU also conducts studies on the
applicability of blockchain as the infrastructure
for central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and the
technology’s environmental impacts. The UN Joint
Inspection Unit (JIU) reviews the uses of blockchain in
the UN ecosystem. The UN Economic
Commission for Europe (UNECE)
is further exploring the possibility
of adopting blockchain in trade
facilitation processes.
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DIGITAL PASSPORT
Internet of things
The internet of things (IoT) offers a new generation
of internet-connected devices and has the potential
to significantly impact environmental monitoring,
agriculture, and disaster recovery, among others. IoT’s
applications range from self-driving cars to smart
cities; it can benefit the energy, health, agriculture, and
manufacturing industries alike.
Ecma International, for example, is dedicated to
developing global standards for a wide range of
information and communication systems, which
includes the many interrelated developments in
consumer electronics and IoT. On the other hand, the
World Economic Forum (WEF) convenes industry
experts to explore connected devices, smart technology
applications, shared mobility, connected cities, and
industrial internet through a myriad of engagement
initiatives. Finally, the European Organization for
Nuclear Research (CERN) has long been running a
complex IoT (or smart networking)
infrastructure on its kilometrespanning
campus; its IT department
has published multiple resources to
address the concern of IoT network
security.
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Quantum computing
Computing systems are getting increasingly intricate,
with semiconductors shrinking to the nanometer scale
and central processing units running more complex
calculations. As the hardware approaches its physical
limit, current computing systems can only solve
problems up to a certain size and complexity. Quantum
computing has the potential to surpass that with
quantum bits (qubits).
Classical computers rely on individual bits to store and
process information as binary 0 and 1 states. Using
‘superposition’ and ‘entanglement’, qubits can represent
both states at the same time, exponentially increasing
the computational power of computers. Quantum
computing is not only used by scientists like those at
the European Organization for Nuclear Research
(CERN) but – once sufficiently advanced – it could also
help identify solutions for critical global issues. The
Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA)
launched the Open Quantum Institute in
collaboration with International Geneva
stakeholders to explore the possibility
of using quantum computing to
advance the sustainable development
goals (SDGs).
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DIGITAL PASSPORT
Satellite
While we might not be able to see the thousands of
metal objects hovering over our heads day and night,
we certainly benefit from their existence 24/7. Satellites
provide critical services in communications, internet
connection for small area coverage, Global Positioning
System (GPS) navigation, and weather monitoring
(among other uses).
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is
involved in assigning frequencies and positions for
Geostationary Equatorial Orbit (GEO) satellites and
orbital characteristics for non-GEO satellites. And
there’s a growing number of space operations by
private actors, governments, and intergovernmental
organisations alike. For instance, the World
Meteorological Organization’s (WMO’s) Global
Observing System collects crucial weather data from
17 satellites, tracking climate change via real-time
updates and satellite images worldwide.
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DIGITAL PASSPORT
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5G & 6G
The fifth-generation (5G) mobile network technology
provides more bandwidth and faster transfer of
data. Compared to previous generations, 5G comes
with significant improvements in speed, latency, and
bandwidth, enabling the real-time remote control of
automated processes and the greater optimisation of
network traffic.
5G is anticipated to unlock the full potential of IoT and
AI technologies, which makes it a hot topic today. The
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) plays
an especially crucial role in managing radio spectrum
and standardising 5G networks, including compatible
devices and necessary services; the European
Broadcasting Union (EBU) launched the 5G Media
Action Group (5G-MAG) to explore a market-driven
implementation of 5G technologies in content creation,
production, distribution, and consumption; and the
World Economic Forum (WEF) facilitates discussions
with industry experts on the ripple
effects of 5G networks across the
business sector.
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DIGITAL PASSPORT
Conferencing technologies
While much of the world only learned about the power of
conferencing technologies when the COVID-19 pandemic
hit, such technologies have long been core to Geneva’s
daily activities.
The European Organization for Nuclear Research
(CERN) developed the Indico event management system,
enabling stakeholders from all over the world to join
global conferences online. The Internet Governance
Forum (IGF) pioneered the hybrid participation format at
its 2006 Athens meeting: Local IGF hubs met in person
while following global deliberations online; remote
moderators then ensured smooth interactions among
those in situ and online.
DiploFoundation (Diplo) took conferences to another
level: During a UN Security Council special session, Diplo
deployed its human-AI hybrid system, generating justin-time
reports of country statements and key questions.
The hybrid system leverages AI’s realtime
transcription and summarisation
capability along with human quality
control. The system has been tested
during larger events, such as IGF 2023
and the 78th UN General Assembly.
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DIGITAL PASSPORT
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Digital infrastructure
The digital infrastructure, the least eye-catching on
the menu, is the most essential. Without it, none of
the emerging and disruptive digital technologies can
function. The smooth operation of the digital world
depends on several layers of infrastructure, the most
relevant here being the telecommunication layer that
carries all digital traffic on mediums like fibre cables or
wireless signals, and the transport layer which enables
computers and networks to communicate with each
other and exchange data (TCP/IP).
International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU’s)
work facilitates the global interconnection and
interoperability of telecommunication facilities, such
as devices, networks, and services. It’s the reason
your phone can connect to WiFi anywhere you go! The
Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development
involves industry leaders, government representatives,
and international experts to advocate for achieving
universal and meaningful broadband
connectivity by advancing digital
infrastructure in underserved areas.
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10 policy issues
Data flows across borders every millisecond; malicious attackers
lurk in the background; our future of work and environment are on
the line. What are the policy issues humanity must face together?

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DIGITAL PASSPORT
Cybersecurity and cybercrime
The vulnerability of the internet is the vulnerability of
modern society.
Security, however, has mostly been an afterthought as
market-driven tech companies often employ a ‘release
now, patch later’ approach. The growing number of
cyberthreats challenges peace and security, erodes trust
in the digital economy, and dampens the potential for the
digital transformation of societies and economies.
Since 2018, DiploFoundation (Diplo) and the Swiss
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) have
been co-leading the Geneva Dialogue on Responsible
Behaviour in Cyberspace.
In 2023, the international process led to the Geneva
Manual on Responsible Behaviour in Cyberspace which
clarifies the roles and responsibilities of non-state
stakeholders in implementing cyber norms.
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DIGITAL PASSPORT
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The CyberPeace Institute researches malicious cyber
operations that affect critical infrastructure and provides
capacity development for NGOs.
The Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance
(DCAF) implements projects dedicated to improving
cybersecurity laws and policies, enhancing
cybersecurity actors’ capacity, and formalising
cybersecurity accountability.
The Geneva Center for Security Policy (GCSP) provides
executive training and simulation exercises on various
issues related to cybersecurity and peacebuilding.
The United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research
(UNIDIR) features cyber issues in its research on
disarmament and international security issues, including
the impact of AI on the security landscape and the
protection of critical digital infrastructure.
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DIGITAL PASSPORT
Humanitarian protection
As the birthplace of the Geneva Conventions, Geneva
has nurtured the most established humanitarian
ecosystem in the world. International lawyers,
mediation experts, conflict researchers, and aid
workers convene in Geneva to address pressing
humanitarian concerns during armed conflicts. As the
face of warfare and military activities change with the
evolution of digital technologies, humanitarian actors
must adapt, too.
The rise of hybrid warfare, involving both cyber
and physical attacks, prompted the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to propose the
concept of a ‘digital emblem’. Just as the distinct
emblems under international humanitarian law (IHL)
marked on humanitarian facilities protect them from
being targeted during an armed conflict, the digital
emblem denotes the digital infrastructure crucial to
humanitarian operations that should not be targetted
by malicious cyber operations.
In addition, the ICRC curated the Digital Dilemmas
immersive experience, available both as a website and
a VR experience. It guides users through dangerous AI
applications in armed conflicts, from swaying public
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DIGITAL PASSPORT
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opinion via deep-faked propaganda to being integrated
into lethal autonomous weapons or other military
systems.
On the mediation side, DiploFoundation (Diplo) initiated
research and policy discussions on cyber mediation in
2017, resulting in the CyberMediation Network (CMN),
currently led by the UN Department of Political and
Peacebuilding Affairs (UNDPPA).
The CMN meets quarterly to discuss common
challenges and facilitates sharing best practices
for mediators in dealing with mis/disinformation
campaigns, malicious cyber operations, attacks on
digital infrastructure, etc.
CyberPeace Institute runs the Digital Risk Management
E-Learning Platform for Mediators; the Centre for
Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) co-produced the Digital
Mediation Toolkit.
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DIGITAL PASSPORT
Human rights
The same rights people have offline must also be
protected online. While the digital realm has opened
new possibilities for the advancement of human rights
and freedoms, it has also triggered and amplified
infringements of the very same rights. For example,
social media platforms have facilitated the exercise
of our right to freedom of expression and information,
but they have also contributed to censorship, violence
against journalists, and the spread of hate speech.
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights (OHCHR) provides UN system-wide human
rights due diligence guidance for digital technology.
It also launched a UN Hub that stores authoritative
guidance on using UN human rights mechanisms on
the use and governance of digital technologies. The
Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law
and Human Rights is another valuable resource for
human-rights-related digital issues, providing detailed
legal analyses and preparing future
lawyers for the challenges brought by
emerging technologies.
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DIGITAL PASSPORT
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Digital economy and labour
The digital transformation of our modern society has
sent ripples in multiple dimensions; one particularly
contentious dimension is economy and trade.
The global digital flows of goods, services, and
money are challenged by the digital divide, regulatory
fragmentation, and unequal market power among
players. Since 1998, the World Trade Organization
(WTO) has been working on customs duties, taxation,
and trade barriers related to e-commerce. The UN Trade
and Development’s (UNCTAD’s) work programme on
e-commerce and the digital economy further offers
research analysis and assists with consensus-building
among governmental experts.
Digital platforms and advanced technologies like AI also
alter the nature of labour and challenge the livelihoods
of many. The International Labour Organization (ILO)
established a global commission to study such changes;
it called for a ‘human-centred agenda
for the future of work’ in the landmark
report Work for a Brighter Future,
examining the impacts on the gendered
labour gap imposed by increased
automation and robotics.
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DIGITAL PASSPORT
Data policy
Data, a key enabler of advanced technologies, is now
produced in an unfathomable volume at an unthinkable
rate. Our growing reliance on data has ushered in a
range of policy issues from data’s effects on personal
freedom and security to the economy.
Leading up to the 2020 UN World Data Forum,
DiploFoundation (Diplo) held six Road to Bern via
Geneva dialogues to facilitate data cooperation and
introduced a mapping of Geneva actors’ data activities
in the SDGs, security, privacy, data commons, health,
and environment. To benefit from the economic values
of data, the UN Economic Commission for Europe
(UNECE) produces guidelines on managing cross-border
data flows, while the European Free Trade Association
(EFTA) works with the EU on implementing a single data
market. Actors like the Group on Earth Observations,
the International Federation of Red Cross and Red
Crescent Societies (IFRC), the World Meteorological
Organization (WMO), and the World
Health Organization (WHO) discuss
domain-specific data issues, be it
environmental, humanitarian, or health.
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DIGITAL PASSPORT
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Intellectual property
The internet has a rich repertoire of information and
knowledge; however, it’s not always straightforward to
establish the ownership of products of cognitive labour
when they can be copy-pasted, pirated, reproduced, and
redistributed digitally. The protection of knowledge and
ideas online through intellectual property rights (IPR) is
one of the main issues in the digital policymaking debate,
especially with the progress in generative AI and bordershattering
metaverse technologies.
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
deals with these thorny issues by bringing together
governmental intellectual property (IP) services with
NGOs and industry leaders, fostering an effective global
IP ecosystem. WIPO produces digital tools for IP officers
worldwide to access its services. The WIPO Conversation
series further raises awareness of the challenges
frontier technologies pose to IPR and fosters expert
consensus. Other organisations like South Centre and
the Consumer Unit and Trust Society
(CUTS) support developing countries in
harnessing innovation and effectively
using IP systems in the digital era.
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DIGITAL PASSPORT
Content policy
When the COVID-19 pandemic began, the world was
faced with the physical threat of a virus and a digital
plague of infodemics: falsehood inundated social media
platforms, eroding the prevailing consensus around
scientific findings. Nowadays, generative AI models
along with the attention-maximising algorithms of digital
platforms continue to pose a challenge to the modern
world with widely disseminated hate speech and mis/
disinformation.
Content policy touches on multiple human rights
subjects, from freedom of expression and gender
rights online to the rights of persons with disabilities.
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights (OHCHR) reports on the need to combat violent
extremism online and account for the rights of human
rights defenders.
The Kofi Annan Foundation works with civil society,
electoral management bodies, and
the private sector to counter electoralrelated
disinformation and foreign
influences.
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DIGITAL PASSPORT
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Sustainable development
The 2030 Agenda and the 17 cross-cutting SDGs
underpin the work of all International Geneva actors
from health and humanitarian to the environment.
Geneva actors capitalise on a wide range of digital
and AI tools to achieve the SDGs and address policy
challenges.
The SDG Lab at the UN Office at Geneva (UNOG) is
a focal point dedicated to facilitating SDG-related
activities in the International Geneva community. It
holds workshops, promotes knowledge exchanges, and
produces commentaries and reports that enable actors
to leverage data and digital technologies in attaining
the SDGs. The International Telecommunication Union
(ITU) ‘Connect 2030 Agenda’ further outlines concrete
goals pivoting the organisation toward helping member
states make the best use of ICTs to close the digital
divide and advance the SDGs. On the more grassroots
level, the Geneva Foundation for Technology Innovation
(FONGIT) supports local tech start-ups
that directly or indirectly contribute to
the SDGs through their work.
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09
DIGITAL PASSPORT
Digital and environment
While technologies can be used to monitor and
preserve endangered species or detect pollution levels
in fragile ecosystems, rapid digital transformation also
comes at a cost for our environment. Environmentally
conscious digital policies must address technology’s
adverse impacts on the atmosphere, biodiversity,
climate change, energy consumption, food and
agriculture, land and deforestation, oceans and seas,
extraction of rare materials, pollution and e-waste, and
water.
The Geneva Environment Network (GEN) holds
workshops and roundtables on using high-quality data
to track the 2030 Agenda implementation progress,
mitigating the carbon footprint of digital tools, and
leveraging digital technologies like Earth observations
for data monitoring and collection. The Group on Earth
Observations leads crucial information and knowledge
initiatives such as Land Degradation Neutrality, the
Biodiversity Observation Network,
Global Agricultural Monitoring, the
Global Forest Observation Initiative,
and the Global Observation System for
Mercury.
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DIGITAL PASSPORT
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Digital standards
Our digital reality is shaped by the standards guiding
the manufacture and use of digital devices and
services. Such standards foster interoperability,
quality of service, and safety. Thus, they have high
importance for innovation, economic growth, safety,
and the sustainability of the digital space. Increasingly,
human rights and the public interest are entering the
focus of digital standards, especially those dealing with
data, AI, and biotechnology. As policy implementation
instruments, standards are increasingly used to
address topics where countries do not agree on
international conventions.
The global standardisation landscape is very complex,
consisting of a diverse set of organisations, working
methods, and procedures. Geneva is home to all
three major formal standardisation organisations:
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
for telecommunications standards, the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO)
for business and security standards,
and the International Electrotechnical
Commission (IEC) for electronic device
standards.
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Education and Research
AI and digital issues are highly featured on the
curriculum and agenda of universities, international
organisations, think tanks, and other education and
research actors in and around International Geneva.
On the academic side, the Geneva Graduate Institute
(IHEID) hosts TechHub as a centre for providing digital
skill training and coordinating digital activities with
other Geneva-based actors. Digitalisation has become
a cross-cutting issue covered by the IHEID’s academic
departments focusing on development, trade, law,
security and other disciplines.
The University of Geneva (UNIGE) offers many
courses on digital issues from technical, legal, and
social perspectives. The university also conducts
comprehensive research on all facets of AI and digital
developments.
In an adjacent city, École polytechnique fédérale de
Lausanne (EPFL) is among the leading technical
academic institutions globally. In addition to its core
research and teaching on AI and computer science in
general, EPFL focuses on cybersecurity and digital
humanities.
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Among non-governmental actors, DiploFoundation
(Diplo) is a pioneer in training and research on digital
diplomacy. Ever since its first ICT diplomacy course in
1994, Diplo has been offering a wide range of courses,
from digital diplomacy and cybersecurity to internet
governance. The AI Campus, established in 2024
features courses on AI prompting and AI’s impact on
diplomacy.
Other actors offering capacity development include:
the Geneva Center for Security Policy (GCSP) on
cybersecurity and geopolitics; the Simon Institute for
Longterm Governance on AI governance; the Centre
for Socio-Eco-Nomic Development (CSEND) on digital
development; and the ICT for Peace Foundation
(ICT4Peace) on cyber peacebuilding.
In the UN family, the UN Institute for Training and
Research (UNITAR) delivers courses on digitalisation’s
impact on diplomacy, security, and international
relations. The International Telecommunication Union
(ITU) also provides a wide range of courses on technical
subjects. Digital and AI are also
high on the curriculum of the World
Intellectual Property Organization
(WIPO) academy.
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