University of Bucharest undergraduate and master’s students invited to attend Romania’s first modular course dedicated to hybrid warfare, delivered by Professor Corneliu Bjola (University of Oxford)

Between March 30 and April 3, 2026, the University of Bucharest, through its Faculty of Political Science, is organizing the intensive modular course “In Focus: Hybrid War – Cognitive, Technological and Strategic Dimensions”, delivered by Professor Corneliu Bjola from the University of Oxford.

Those interested may register using the application form available here by February 28.

The course is organized within the Jean Monnet module “EU as a Global Digital Actor”, funded by the European Commission, and represents the first academic initiative of this kind in Romania dedicated to the analysis of hybrid warfare.

Master’s and PhD students of the University of Bucharest, regardless of faculty or specialization, are invited to apply.

IN FOCUS: HYBRID WAR

COGNITIVE, TECHNOLOGICAL AND STRATEGIC DIMENSIONS

Hybrid warfare has become one of the most debated forms of conflict in the 21st century, marking a fundamental shift in the way states and non-state actors challenge the international order.

The course explores the phenomenon of hybrid warfare on three interconnected levels:

• The cognitive dimension – examining how disinformation, propaganda, and emotional manipulation transform false narratives into “alternative realities,” eroding public trust and social cohesion;
• The technological dimension – analyzing the use of digital and cyber tools, from attacks on critical infrastructure to the exploitation of social networks through algorithms, trolling, and data leaks;
• The strategic dimension – integrating these tactics into a broader geopolitical framework, where they serve foreign policy and security objectives below the threshold of conventional warfare.

Through recent case studies and applied debates, participants will analyze how hybrid warfare redefines the boundary between war and peace, as well as the defensive and offensive strategies available to democracies – including the European Union – to counter hybrid threats.

Course schedule

All sessions will take place at the University of Bucharest’s Panduri Campus:

• Monday, March 30, 18:00–20:00 – Amphitheatre 103 (Faculty of Sociology and Social Work building, 90–92 Șos. Panduri)
• Wednesday, April 1, 17:30–20:30 – “Grigore Moisil” Amphitheatre (Rectorate building, 90 Șos. Panduri)
• Thursday, April 2, 15:30–20:30 – “Grigore Moisil” Amphitheatre (Rectorate building, 90 Șos. Panduri)
• Friday, April 3, 10:00–14:00 – Amphitheatre 205 (Faculty of Sociology and Social Work building, 90–92 Șos. Panduri)

Corneliu Bjola (PhD, University of Toronto) is Professor of Digital Diplomacy at the University of Oxford and Head of the Oxford Digital Diplomacy Research Group. His research focuses on the impact of digital technologies and artificial intelligence on diplomacy, international negotiations, and countering online propaganda.

His recent publications include The Oxford Handbook of Digital Diplomacy (Oxford University Press, 2024, co-editor), Digital International Relations: Technology, Agency, and Order (Routledge, 2023, co-editor), and Digital Diplomacy and International Organizations: Autonomy, Legitimacy, and Contestation (Routledge, 2020).

Throughout his career, he has delivered training sessions for ministries of foreign affairs, diplomatic academies, and international organizations in Europe, the Middle East, and other regions.

More details are available HERE and HERE.