From 23 February to 6 March 2026, the NATO Defense College (NDC) conducted its Modular Short Course (MSC 148-1) on “NATO Yesterday and Today”, held in parallel with Senior Course 148. The course provided participants with an overview of the evolving security environment in which NATO operates and the Alliance’s shifting strategic priorities.
For two weeks, 21 military and civilian officials from 12 Allied nations attended the Modular Short Course and explored the Alliance’s evolution from the Cold War to the present. Dedicated to the historical foundations of the Alliance, the first week of the course offered participants insights into NATO’s institutional structures, decision-making processes and core policies.
The focus then shifted to contemporary security challenges, where participants explored the interplay between conventional and nuclear deterrence. The course notably explored NATO’s approach to crisis prevention and management, as well as its cooperative security frameworks and its relationship with the EU. Participants concluded the course with a comprehensive lecture on NATO strategy and the DDA Family of Plans.
The interactive format of the course enabled the Course Members to engage with the multifaceted topics introduced in lectures, which served as a foundation for in-depth committee discussions with their peers from both the MSC and Senior Course 148.
The Modular Short Course concluded successfully with the conferment of certificates by NDC Commandant Lieutenant General Max A.L.T. Nielsen. Through the course’s focus on “NATO Yesterday and Today”, MSC 148-1 participants gained a deeper understanding of the historical legacy of the Alliance and how it informs its current strategic imperatives and policies.
NDC Public Affairs Office
(Prepared by Chloé Ketels, FRA C)
Collège de Défense de l'OTAN