Senior Course

About the Senior Course

The Senior Course is designed to prepare officers at the OF5/4 level and civilian officials of equivalent rank from NATO, the Partnership for Peace (PfP), the Mediterranean Dialogue (MD), the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI) and selected partners across the globe for senior roles in NATO and multinational staffs or in NATO-related positions in their home countries. It also supports the continued professional development of officers and officials currently assigned to NATO or NATO-related positions by allowing them to participate in selected modules of the Senior Course. Additionally, the Course contributes to the Alliance’s outreach programmes by including representatives from PfP, MD, ICI and selected partners across the globe for the full duration of the Senior Course, as well as through the Modular Short Course – Partners Integrated (MSC-PI) programmes.

Aim

The primary goal of the Senior Course is to deepen participants’ understanding of the relationship between NATO and the international security environment, focusing on the complexities and challenges of NATO appointments. It also aims to enhance knowledge of the Alliance’s shared values, interests, structure and working methods, and of the security risks and threats confronting Allies.

What the Senior Course does

The Senior Course is structured into several Study Periods, tackling topics such as changing war, strategic competition and future NATO. Each Study Period is made up of multiple lectures, as well as exercises, seminars and other tools, including:

• Negotiation and mediation exercises
• Field Studies focusing on transatlantic links, European perspectives and other critical regions
• Crisis management and decision-making exercises
• Strategy challenges and committee study projects

Who can attend

The Course is open to officers with the rank of Brigadier General, Colonel and Lieutenant Colonel, as well as civilian officials and diplomats of equivalent rank from relevant government departments, such as the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other agencies involved in strategic security matters.