On September 8, 2026, a meeting was held at the National Research University Higher School of Economics in Moscow, which marked the beginning of the implementation of the new master's degree program "Religious Diplomacy in a multipolar World."
The program is implemented by the Higher School of Law and Administration of the National Research University of Higher School of Economics in partnership with the Church-wide Postgraduate and Doctoral Studies named after Saints Cyril and Methodius and the Department of External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate.
The meeting was attended by D.L. Kuznetsov, Director of the Higher School of Law and Administration at the Higher School of Economics; A.P. Torshin, Academic Director of the Master's Degree program; Archpriest Igor Vyzhanov, Deputy Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations; Archpriest Valentin Vasechko, First Vice-Rector of the OCAD; Archpriest Sergiy Zvonarev, Secretary of the DECR for Foreign Affairs, curators of the program, mentors and teachers of the program who have many years of experience in public and diplomatic service.
Parting words were addressed to the undergraduates of the first set of the 2026/2027 academic year, they were given student cards.
The full-time Master's degree program lasts for two years. Among the teachers are specialists in the field of diplomacy and international relations, international law and external church relations.
Graduates of the program will receive the necessary competencies for practical activities and expert work, as well as academic and research skills in the field of religious diplomacy.