Health diplomacy training, pedagogical approaches, and skills assessment: a scoping review

Abstract

Background Health diplomacy is gaining increasing importance as an approach in addressing domestic and global health challenges, yet educational programs that prepare future practitioners remain underdeveloped in addressing skills core to this domain of public health practice. Training in health diplomacy is critical for building interdisciplinary competencies needed to navigate increasingly complex negotiations, cross-cultural engagements, and policy influence. Competency based education in global health, widely accepted by the health professions education community, is a framework for training health professionals that focuses on observable, measurable skills and knowledge needed to meet specific health needs and improve global health outcomes.Objectives This study mapped the literature on health diplomacy education, examining curricula, training approaches, skill development, and evaluation practices, with a focus on their implications for public health diplomacy.Methods Establishing scoping review and inclusion methodology, this study conducted a systematic search and screening of relevant literature. Eligible documents included peer-reviewed articles, frameworks, and reports describing curricula, training initiatives, and educational models in health diplomacy. We extracted and synthesized data using descriptive statistics to map training types, audiences, and competencies, alongside narrative synthesis to identify pedagogical strategies, evaluation methods, gaps, and formulate key insights.Results We included eight training initiatives and frameworks published between 2017 and 2025. Programs ranged from short-term simulations and workshops to semester-long academic curricula, flexible competency frameworks, and career-long professional pathways. Training was predominantly designed for students and early-career professionals, but also included experienced diplomatic practitioners such as health attach & eacute;s. Delivery was largely in-person, with increasing adoption of blended and adaptable models. Common pedagogical methods included simulation-based experiential learning, problem- and competency-based approaches, peer-to-peer learning, and reflexive or decolonial pedagogy. Core competencies emphasized negotiation, diplomacy, cross-cultural communication, leadership, policy analysis, and crisis management. Evaluation methods were mostly short-term and self-reported, with limited evidence of long-term or institutional outcomes.Conclusion Health diplomacy education is key in strengthening the practice of public health diplomacy by equipping learners with essential skills in negotiation, leadership, cultural competency, and communication skills. However, current training initiatives remain fragmented, inequitable, and under-evaluated.