Since 2012, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched a new training initiative focused on promoting and supporting Czech economic interests abroad. The new training is aimed at broadening and deepening knowledge of economic issues for diplomats. It also focuses on how the state can better support Czech companies’ export strategies.

Training diplomats in economic affairs takes several dimensions.

The core educational component is a week-long course entitled “Economic training.” This is traditionally held at the beginning of the year for all departing diplomats in the positions of economic counsellors and junior diplomats. The lectures are given by prominent Czech economists, members of the Czech National Economic Council of the government, professors from Czech universities, Ministry of Foreign Affairs representatives, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, state institutions promoting trade and investments and other specialists.

To supplement this intensive training course, there are regular guest lectures on current economic issues by prominent Czech and foreign economists and senior government officials. This is part of a project named: “Economists for the Czech diplomacy”.

In December 2014, the Diplomatic Academy launches another project named “Important Czech exporters for diplomacy” – this will feature regular  guest lectures of  representatives of important Czech exporters. They will share their strategies and experiences with product placements  in international markets.

Based on an agreement between the Ministry of foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Trade and Industry on collaboration in providing better services to Czech exporters, the Diplomatic Academy launched  - in October 2014 – a project entitled  „DIPLOMATIC MINIMUM“. This project is aimed at representatives of the Ministry of Trade and Industry who are supposed to be posted as economic counsellors in Czech embassies. The objective of the  course is to provide them the basic information about how the Czech foreign service operates  and key diplomatic skills.