Paradiplomacy as an educational strategy for countering information threats in foreign language training of political scientists specialising in international relations

The relevance of the topic was conditioned by the strengthening of information warfare and the growing role of subnational actors in the international space, which required rethinking educational strategies in the field of international relations. The purpose of the study was to theoretically substantiate the educational approach focused on the use of paradiplomatic practices as a didactic resource for the development of professional resilience of higher education applicants to disinformation and propaganda. The study used a set of methods, in particular, structural and functional analysis, interdisciplinary modelling and content analysis of the information environment. The results of the study showed that paradiplomacy as a form of external activity of regional and municipal entities can effectively complement classical diplomacy in the face of hybrid threats due to its flexibility, efficiency, and ability to network influence. It was established that such activities have a significant potential in spreading truthful information, strengthening cultural ties, and forming a positive image of the state. The conceptualisation of paradiplomacy as a didactic tool integrated into foreign-language professional training of international specialists was carried out. Practical steps for integrating paradiplomatic content into the educational process based on the development of critical thinking, analytical skills, digital and media literacy were proposed. The expediency of including thematic blocks related to paradiplomatic activities in the curriculum of international relations and political science, in particular, in the context of learning foreign languages as a means of intercultural interaction and communication security, was substantiated. The practical significance of the study was to create the basis for the development of innovative educational strategies that can provide high-quality training for a new generation of international political scientists, adapted to the challenges of the global information space and able to implement public diplomacy strategies at the local level