Washington, DC — The Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue, the Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Estonia, and Askend, an Estonia-based IT and AI consultancy company, announced today a cooperation framework  to advance trusted technologies, enhance tech diplomacy education, and equip current and future policymakers, professionals, and industry leaders with the skills needed to compete and lead in the AI era.

Rooted in a shared commitment to democratic values, innovation, and national resilience, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will expand access to Tech Diplomacy education and support joint engagement on the responsible deployment of emerging technologies – ensuring that these critical technologies advance freedom across the transatlantic alliance and the world. 

As part of the collaboration, participants will gain access to the Krach Institute's Tech Diplomacy Academy, the world’s first online education platform dedicated to preparing leaders across government, industry, and civil society to understand how critical and emerging technologies shape national power, economic competitiveness, and freedom. The courses cover key areas such as artificial intelligence, 5G, cybersecurity, and digital infrastructure. The Tech Diplomacy Academy is already being used to train participants from NATO DIANA, the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Department of Commerce, reinforcing its role as a trusted platform for allied capacity-building at the intersection of technology and national security.

"Technology is now the central arena of competition between freedom and authoritarian control,” said Michelle Giuda, CEO of the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue. "The United States and its allies must lead together in building trusted technology ecosystems that strengthen security, resilience, and innovation. Estonia is a critical digital democracy partner in that effort, and this collaboration strengthens the transatlantic foundation for trusted technology leadership.”

Estonia, widely recognized as one of the world’s most advanced digital democracies, plays a leading role in shaping how democratic nations integrate technology into governance, education, and public services. Estonia is demonstrating global leadership in AI and education through AI Leap, a national initiative focused on supporting student learning, teacher empowerment and responsible AI use in education. As part of this work, Estonia has worked with technology partners, including OpenAI, to explore education-specific AI tools that support learning and critical thinking. Estonia’s partnership with the Krach Institute builds on this leadership in AI, while strengthening broader allied coordination on technology standards and trusted digital ecosystems.

“Artificial intelligence is already changing how we learn, teach and work,” said Kristina Kallas, Minister of Education and Research. “Estonia’s priority is to ensure that new technologies support learning, strengthen critical thinking and help teachers, rather than replace human judgement. International cooperation gives us an opportunity to exchange experience and build the knowledge needed to use AI and other emerging technologies responsibly in education.”

Askend will support implementation and applied collaboration across the initiative, helping translate trusted technology principles into practical deployment.

"The value of AI is not born from slogans, but from structure, processes and culture. This partnership is a natural step for us - bringing together education, policymaking and practical implementation into a coherent whole, so that trusted technologies do not remain at the level of principles alone, but function in real systems that governments and institutions can rely on," commented Oleg Shvaikovsky, Founding Partner at Askend.

The cooperation framework also connects Estonia and Askend to the Krach Institute’s Global Trusted Tech Network, the world’s fastest growing coalition of companies and countries united around the shared conviction that technology must advance freedom. This rapidly expanding network fosters collaboration with like-minded countries to promote trusted technology, counter authoritarian models and facilitate participation in U.S. and allied policy discussions, workshops, and roundtables. The Network includes key European partners such as Italy, Sweden and Ukraine, alongside other allied nations working to strengthen secure, transparent, and resilient technology ecosystems.

About the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue 

The Krach Institute is the world’s preeminent trusted technology accelerator. As the leader in the new category of Tech Diplomacy, the Institute integrates technology expertise, Silicon Valley strategies and foreign policy tools to build the Global Trusted Tech Network of governments, companies, organizations and individuals to accelerate the innovation and adoption of trusted technology and ensure technology advances freedom. 

Visit the Krach Institute online at TechDiplomacy.org and follow on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and YouTube. Enroll in the Tech Diplomacy Academy to learn what you need to know now about key emerging technologies and their impact on business, policy and the global economy. Subscribe to the Institute’s weekly newsletter Tech Diplomacy Now for the latest news at the intersection of high tech and foreign policy. 

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For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact Megan Stencel at megan@javelindc.com or 703-490-8845.