CPD’s New Year’s Resolutions

New Year resolutions are already aplenty, but we at CPD thought you might still be interested in knowing our goals for the year ahead.

As CPD enters its 10th year, our mission remains the same. Our work continues to be guided by a global vision, a drive to integrate research and practice for distinctive social impact, and a commitment to preparing the next generation of public diplomacy leaders and practitioners. We share your belief that public diplomacy plays a crucial and expanding role in fostering peaceful, productive relations between nations and peoples.

1. Sharpen research focus

CPD conducts research into thematic areas of perennial interest and identifies emerging trends deserving further scholarship. This year we are pursuing five priority areas—Rising Soft Power in a Multipolar World, Global Youth and the Next Generation of Public Diplomacy, Public Diplomacy Performance and Evaluation in the Digital Age, Public Diplomacy and Global Development, and Design and Creativity in Public Diplomacy. We will provide details on these initiatives on our website, and invite your participation and contribution.

2. Strengthen global PD community

Building a strong global PD network is crucial to advancing the field. Looking ahead, we will put more emphasis on highlighting and strengthening these connections. In particular, we are making efforts to better engage young, emerging scholars. We will be launching a new initiative this spring to support their work and career development.

3. Transform research into practice

Public diplomacy is an applied field that draws on a variety of academic disciplines. CPD will continue to explore ways to transform our research into practice so that practitioners and policy-makers can benefit from the Center’s work. We will improve the sharing of scholarly work with a broader audience through multiple CPD platforms.

4. Expand editorially

We are broadening our web content by adding new features, such as photo essays, Q&A with CPD, and This Week in Public Diplomacy. On Wednesday we will be releasing our pick of the 10 biggest public diplomacy stories of 2013, as part of our annual review of global PD trends.

5. Enhance digital capabilities

CPD will expand its focus on digital technologies and social media to provide a more robust platform to facilitate discussion and dialogue. We will soon launch our redesigned website to improve the web experience.

6. Broaden audience segments both domestically and internationally

It is also important that CPD broaden its reach to attract new, young audiences that wouldn’t otherwise be engaged, including a new generation of public diplomacy professionals who reflect our nation’s rich diversity, and the international community at large.

7. Enlarge our support base

Over the past 10 years, CPD has benefited from strong support in our global public diplomacy community. The Center operates on a modest budget, with a small, but dedicated, staff and a team of talented student interns. We ask for your help in widening our circle of supporters for our ambitious venture. Together we will take CPD to new heights.