First executive doctorate in commercial diplomacy

In summer 2023, GIOYA Higher Education Institution, a boutique international higher education institution with its headquarters in Malta, and the United Nations University for Peace, signed an agreement to shape and launch the first ever Executive Doctorate in Commercial Diplomacy. A joint degree acredit by MFHEA and delivered by virtue of the authority granted by the United Nations General Assembly to the University for Peace. The joint degree is online, and it is intended for business executives, diplomats, high-ranking officials, and entrepreneurs.

During a recent event organized by GIOYA HEI in Malta at the Dragonara – with the participation of Asomi College of Science, over 120 influential leaders and managers from the international business community were called to celebrate the first moment of discussion and meeting on the topic of commercial diplomacy.

In a few days, the first intake of executives will start the doctorate, and for the occasion, we asked the Rector of the UN University for Peace, Prof. Francisco Rojas, about the importance of the topic of international commercial relations in a context where globalization is no longer taken for granted and where tensions between blocks have reignited an arms race among the main countries.

“Today, global governance is much more fragmented than before, and institutions have to engage more and with more competence with other elements of our complex societies. In this regard, fostering robust trade policies and competencies, and engaging with business communities to seek stability and mutual understanding is of paramount importance. In an era where an arms race threatens global security and the life of far too many people, reinforcing fair economic interdependence in a multilateral context is a strategic necessity. We must all take part in building resilient economic networks to navigate and mitigate these emerging challenges. Education at all levels is playing a crucial role. With our Joint Executive Doctorate, we intend to support senior professionals from all over the world in identifying and developing empirical research and create impact”

Francesco Cappè, president and CEO of GIOYA Higher Education Institution.

GIOYA HEI was founded by a network of experts and officials engaged in different time and at different level with the United Nations and other International entities. This network has since grown to include key players from the luxury sector, particularly the Tuscan Yachting District, renowned as the world's largest hub for superyacht production.

We spoke with the president and CEO, Francesco Cappè, about how these diverse elements coexist within GIOYA HEI: "The vision of GIOYA HEI and its founders is to promote high-level academic education through the most innovative methods, aiming to support social responsibility within business dynamics. Our online courses and in-person networking events, available to current and past students as well as international partners, are designed to create an environment conducive to achieving profit while being mindful of the community and keeping the human element at the forefront. GIOYA HEI focuses on selecting students who are potentially influential in their sectors, ensuring a rapid impact from the knowledge and experience they gain with us. We hope to have among our students many Adriano Olivetti: a visionary entrepreneur who represents a continuous inspiration for our modus operandi. The sectors in which GIOYA HEI is currently active are niches in which GIOYA HEI excels and are strategic in our vision."

The faculty created by GIOYA HEI and the UN University for Peace to support enrolled students is top-notch and integrates public profiles (ministers and former ministers), business professionals (international professionals and arbitrators), and academics of international standing. The teaching methods are designed for executives using online tools. The hub constituted by this international academic cooperation will be enriched by high-level in-person meetings. Cappè states:

“This Doctorate, like other academic programs developed by GIOYA HEI, integrates the academic element with in-person events reserved for past and present enrollees in various courses, faculty members, and international partners. These events are designed not only to complement the learning experience but also to facilitate opportunities for meetings, discussions and relationships within a community attentive to our themes and mission. The next meeting in this regard is scheduled in Malaga in July to launch the sports leadership component of GIOYA HEI's proposals, and in October in Geneva at the United Nations Palais, with University for Peace, with the official opening ceremony of the first intake of the Executive Doctorate in Commercial Diplomacy will take place.”

Rector Rojas affirms, "The University for Peace has a presence all over the world and engages with students at any level. By mandate, we provide higher education in many fields to many stakeholders with the objective of achieving sustainable living and peace in a multilateral world. 'Building peace' produces peace; 'building war' does not produce peace. With this in mind, our university has joined forces with GIOYA HEI, and we are thankful to the authorities in Malta for their attention to our proposal. Malta is currently participating in and leading very important international institutions and fora. It is an island with an ancient history and a tapestry of different cultures. We felt it was a strategic hub to kick off the first-ever Executive Doctorate in Commercial Diplomacy."