VDP Contacts:
Dr. Robert Pahre (pahre@illinois.edu, 217-333-2851)
Spring 2009 office hours: by appointment.

VDP Application: Please visit the Study Abroad website to complete the online application. The application deadline for the Spring 2010 semester is October 1, 2009.

The Spring Semester Vienna Diplomatic Program (VDP) is designed for students interested in international organizations and diplomacy. Vienna is a UN city, and many international organizations have their headquarters, there.

Though Vienna is a German-speaking city, no knowledge of German is required. UIUC's partner universities teach many courses in English. It's easy to get around Vienna with English because it is a major tourist destination and most Austrians speak English.

All students in the VDP will take Political Science 393, "Diplomatic Studies Practicum." This course meets for three weeks in Urbana-Champaign, covering academic material, advising, and program orientation. Students will conduct a research paper on a Vienna international organization by the end of the semester. In addition to PS 393, students are required to take basic German and two approved VDP courses. Students can take any electives they desire in addition to these requirements.

The University of Vienna offers many courses in English that tend to focus on international business and economics topics but some deal with European or political topics. (See the course outlines on the UV course page.)

The UV's courses in English vary considerably from semester to semester. Spring 2006 offerings in English included Drafting International Agreements, Genetics and Politics in Times of Globalization, Information Society and E-Government, International Civil Procedure, International Diplomacy, International Strategy and Organization and Old and New Cold War: Vietnam and Iraq.

Participating in the first semester of the Vienna Diplomatic Program was an amazing experience. This program assumes that students have a high level of motivation, are able to manage their own semester-long research project and are able to represent themselves and their university professionally to diplomats from various international organizations. Throughout the semester, there were many lectures that VDP students were encouraged to attend at the American Embassy, the Renner Institute and the Vienna Diplomatic Academy, just to name a few.

Though a working knowledge of German is not required, I felt personally motivated to learn as much of the language as possible in the semester I spent in Vienna. Now that I have returned to Illinois, I am continuing with my German language studies. Though I feel I gained more linguistic experience just being in a German-speaking country for 5 months than I would have in a classroom setting in the United States, there is still a lot I don't know, and I am looking forward to being able to communicate well in German as well as English and French.

The academic aspect of the VDP was amplified by being in Vienna itself. Just walking through the streets of the city, you are exposed to more history and culture than most people have ever seen. Every district has something exciting to offer -- you just have to figure out what it is. Vienna is an incredibly cosmopolitan city. Just walking down the streets, it's not uncommon to hear dozens of different languages being spoken all around you. The cultural side of Vienna is certainly comparable to if not richer than the lures of places like Paris and Berlin. I heard Vienna once described as the "best city in Europe that no one knows about" and I think this is definitely true. I enjoyed my 5 months so much that I am seriously considering returning to Vienna after graduation.

- Faith Swords (participant, Spring 2006)

Most UN-affiliated organizations are located at the Vienna International Center (VIC). Vienna is the third UN city, after New York and Geneva. It serves as headquarters for some UN-affiliated organizations, and many others maintain offices there.