Senior Course

About the Senior Course

The Senior Course aims to better prepare OF5/4 level officers and equivalent level civilian officials of the Alliance, the Euro-Atlantic area, Mediterranean Dialogue (MD), Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI), and Selected Contact countries for senior appointments in NATO and multinational staffs or NATO-related duties in Capitals. It also contributes to the further education of officers and officials currently assigned to NATO or in NATO-related posts by opening selected modules of the Senior Course to their participation. Additionally, it aims to contribute to the Alliance's outreach programs by including representatives from partner nations, MD, ICI, and Selected Contact countries for the full duration of the Senior Course, with increased participation in Modular Short Course Partners Integrated (MSCPI) programs.

Aim

The overarching goal of the Senior Course is to broaden Course Member’s understanding of the relationship between NATO and the international security environment, emphasizing the complexities and challenges faced in NATO appointments. It also aims to enhance the knowledge and understanding of the Alliance's shared values and interests, its organization, working methods, and the potential risks to its security.

What the Senior Course does

The Senior Course achieves its aims through various means, including:

• Providing in-depth analysis and discussion on contemporary NATO issues.
• Conducting negotiation and mediation exercises.
• Providing insights into current threats and vulnerabilities.
• Organizing field studies focusing on transatlantic linkages, European perspectives, and other regions.
• Engaging in crisis management and decision-making exercises.
• Facilitating strategy challenges and committee study projects.

Who can attend

The course is open to officers of the rank of Brigadier General, Colonel, and Lieutenant Colonel, as well as civilian officials and diplomats of equivalent rank from relevant ministries such as the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other administrations concerned with strategic security issues.

Field Studies

Field studies during the Senior Course include:

• Field Study 1: The Transatlantic Link and NATO structures.
• Field Study 2: European Perspectives I.
• Field Study 3: European Perspectives II and other regions.