Your Source for Public Diplomacy

The USC Center on Public Diplomacy (CPD) was established in 2003 as a partnership between the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and the School of International Relations at the University of Southern California. It is a research, analysis and professional education organization dedicated to furthering the study and practice of global public engagement and cultural relations.

CPD is a recognized leader in the public diplomacy research and scholarship community and is the definitive go-to destination for practitioners and international leaders in public diplomacy, while pursuing an innovative research agenda designed to bridge the study-practice gap.

In 2008, USC received the Benjamin Franklin Award for Public Diplomacy from the U.S. State Department in recognition of the university's teaching, training and research in public diplomacy.

• For a handy one page overview of CPD, click here.

• WATCH this video to see what CPD does and why it matters.

• For more information about specific aspects of CPD's work at a glance, see Student Engagement at CPD and CPD's Global Impact. 

• Ways that CPD supports research on public diplomacy can be found here. 

• To read our latest newsletters and Annual Reports, click here.

• For our most recent "CPD by the Numbers" report, click here.

CPD's Mission

The USC Center on Public Diplomacy seeks to advance and enrich the study and practice of public diplomacy through its research, professional education and public engagement.

Strategic Priorities

1. Pursue priority research areas through global network of scholars                                                                              
   Identifying and researching the most vital issues in public diplomacy through a global network of public diplomacy scholars to define the field’s agenda
    
2. Transform research into practice                                                                                                                                   
   Exploring ways to transform CPD research into practice so that practitioners and policy-makers from all nations can benefit from the Center’s work
    
3. Expand CPD’s focus on digital technology, social media and online content                                                                      
   Expanding the Center’s focus on new media to help strengthen its place as a global leader in the dialogue on public diplomacy
    
4. Broaden audience segments both domestically and internationally                                                                            
   Attracting new, young audiences that wouldn’t otherwise be engaged, including a new generation of PD professionals who reflect our nation’s rich diversity, and the international community at large