The Estonian School of Diplomacy (ESD) was established in 1990 with an aim to provide education that would ensure future competent personnel for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Today the ESD has 405 graduates working in various fields, among them ministers of foreign affairs. About ten ESD graduates have been or are Ambassadors. In addition to the Estonian foreign service, our graduates are successful in other institutions both in public as well as in private sector.

Currently the ESD operates as a non-governmental institution with an objective to promote theoretical and practical knowledge in the field of international relations and European Studies in Estonia. In that framework the ESD organises and carries out:

• scientific research and development;
• advanced training courses;
• project management;
• consultations;
• publishing.

On 23.12.2002 a new 5-member Board was elected for the school. The ESD and its staff are members of some organisations for studies in international relations and teaching related institutions, such as:

The European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR), the European Information Network of International Relations and Area Studies (EINIRAS), the International Affairs Network (IAN), the International Forum of Diplomatic Training (IFDT), the International Studies Association (ISA) and the University Association for Contemporary European Studies (UACES).