From engagement analytics to curriculum design: Evidence-based training for digital diplomacy in datafied environments

Datafication of diplomacy is now unfolding through the use of platforms that allow diplomats to measure their "visibility," "engagement" and "performance" as measured by algorithms, and quantifiable data (metrics) from social media interactions. Education and training programs do little to provide future diplomats with tools to interpret or learn from this data, which will be used to evaluate their professional performance. This paper presents new empirical research using engagement analytics (number of likes, comments etc.) from the 162 Facebook posts made by 59 Romanian diplomatic missions, between 2024-2025. The results show significant variations in engagement levels, low levels of dialogue between the public and the missions, and significant differences among the institutions. These findings demonstrate significant deficiencies in knowledge about digital literacy, awareness of how platforms function, knowledge of building and managing online communities and the ability to reflectively learn from data generated through their actions. Based on the findings, the paper provides a curriculum framework for teaching digital diplomacy in universities. This framework uses evidence from the data collected from the social media engagements, and translates it into a series of modules of learning that are consistent with the principles of instructional design and learning analytics. This study links the use of data to teach future diplomats, to discussion on how to teach in the age of digital technologies and provides a model that can be applied to any profession that operates in a technological environment disrupted by data.