On 5th September 2012, the Association of War Academy Trained Officers (AWATO) of Norway visited the NATO Defense College (NDC) in Rome, with the aim of having an overview of the structure and the programmes of the College.
The visit represents the first official event on the calendar of current Senior Course 121, which started few weeks ago and is intended as a tool for preparing selected officials on NATO-related topics, hence providing them with a specific education on the Alliance`s principles and goals.
The visit began with a briefing provided by the Director of Management, Commodore Hakonsen, on the structure of the College and on its academic activities, thus focusing on the description of the aims and contents of the courses provided by NDC, such as the Senior Course, the NATO Regional Cooperation Course (NRCC) and the new Senior Executive Regional Conference (SERC-1). This was a good opportunity for the visitors to better understand the academic offer of the College.
In order to have a practical idea of how the NDC works, the group had the chance to attend one of the lectures prepared for Senior Course 121 on “Conflict and Confrontation: the Changing Nature of Conflict”, by Dr. Hammes (USA) and Prof. Jakobsen (DNK). The class was followed by a challenging Q&A session where the attendees could engage in a discussion on the topic.
At the end of their stay, the visitors received also a guided tour of the premises of the College, where they could learn about the history of the College, the values that underpin its mission and the organization of the NDC.
NDC Public Affairs Office
(Prepared by Ms Eleonora Fuser, ITA C)
Collège de Défense de l'OTAN