The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training (ADST) is a private nonprofit organization, founded in 1986. The mission of the ADST is to improve and advance the understanding of the American diplomacy and support the training of the foreign affairs personnel at the NFATC's Foreign Service Institute (FSI) through a variety of programs and activities.

Supporting the Foreign Service Institute training programs and interdisciplinary studies as well as seminars and policy conferences is one of the major tasks, set by the ADST. The FSI is a Federal Government's primary training institution for officers that supports the personnel of the US foreign affairs segment, preparing American diplomats and other professionals to bring forward U.S. foreign affairs interests in Washington and all over the world. At the George P. Shultz National Foreign Affairs Training Center, the FSI conducts more than four hundred and fifty courses - including some seventy foreign languages - to more than fifty thousand enrollees a year from the State Department, and more than forty other government agencies and military service branches.

The FSI scholars, researchers and students benefit much from the cooperation with the ADST. The ADST maintains and promotes original and unique approaches to bring forward the understanding of the American diplomacy that involves historic researches, analyses and some accumulation of valuable data. All the FSI's faculty and students as well as government and foreign affairs professionals familiarize and learn the materials, presented by the ADST.

The ADST has supported and supports publishing of unique diplomacy literature, featuring knowledge, practice and wisdom of American diplomats, covering the period of over two hundred and twenty five years. These book series is created to increase public knowledge and appreciation of the involvement of American diplomats in the events of the world history.

Another valuable tool, extensively used by scholars for the study of the US diplomacy, is the Foreign Affairs History Collection, developed and regularly enlarged by the ADST. Throughout the years of working for improving the knowledge about the US diplomacy, the ADST has recorded over one thousand and five hundred interviews with former participants of the US foreign affairs scene. The collection is one of the largest in the country and the most important on foreign affairs.

Along with researching the diplomacy experience and presenting it in the form of books, oral records and exhibits, the ADST is also committed to recognize talents and achievements in the diplomacy. The association presents two awards: the Ralph J. Bunche Award for Diplomatic Excellence and Excellence in Language Teaching Awards.

The Ralph J. Bunche Award for Diplomatic Excellence is presented once in two years to honor the lifetime success of a senior practitioner of the art of diplomacy. It was established in 1998 in the memory of Ralph Bunche, a great American diplomat, who was an Under Secretary of the United Nations and a winner of the 1950 Nobel Peace Prize. Past recipients of the Ralph Bunche Award are a former Secretary of State, Labor and the Treasury George P. Shultz (2002), Senator Sam Nunn (2000), and an Ambassador Donald F. McHenry (1999).

Excellences in Language Teaching Awards are given annually to foreign language instructors at the Foreign Service Institute. Two awards of five thousand each and two Honorable Mentions of one thousand dollars each are given to the best teachers.

Undoubtedly, the mission and activities of the ADST have a significant influence on enhancing education and knowledge in the diplomacy and are greatly valuable for many succeeding generations of foreign affairs practitioners.