From 16 to 18 June 2026, the 55th edition of the Conference of Commandants (CoC) took place in Rome. This year’s theme, “The Mind as a Battlespace: Integrating Cognitive Resilience into NATO Education”, addressed an increasingly important challenge for the Alliance: preparing leaders to operate in the cognitive domain. Discussions focused on adapting curricula and developing the skills needed to strengthen critical thinking, recognize manipulation, and operate effectively in an era of cognitive confrontation.
Since its inception in 1972, the Conference of Commandants, the NDC’s longest-standing outreach activity, has served as a forum for the exchange of perspectives and ideas among professional military education institutions. Returning to Rome this year, the CoC brought together 108 participants from 67 defence colleges and institutions, representing 25 Allies and 20 partners, to examine how professional military education should adapt to prepare future leaders for the realities of cognitive warfare.
In cognitive warfare, the human brain serves as both the target and the weapon in the fight for cognitive superiority. To secure this advantage, actors employ deliberate tactics that target rationality, perceptions and decision-making. By exploiting cognitive vulnerabilities through disinformation and manipulation, these operations systematically undermine public trust and weaken societal systems.
NATO’s Cognitive Warfare Concept provides a shared framework to understand how adversaries use cognitive attacks to manipulate perceptions and weaken capabilities. As part of the wider Cognitive Superiority Warfare Development Imperative, its implementation includes educating and informing key decision-makers, and integrating cognitive warfare considerations into NATO’s defence planning and capability development processes.
The CoC started with a NATO session taking an in-depth look at how the Alliance is strengthening its ability to deter and defend in the cognitive domain, and why integrating cognitive resilience into military education is essential to preparing the next generation of military leaders. This session emphasized that resilience is not a static event, but a continuous effort against the cognitive warfare activities of adversaries. Participants had the opportunity to engage with high-level speakers from the NATO enterprise, notably: Major General Juan J. Soto Rodriguez, Deputy Chief of Staff Multi-Domain Force Development at NATO’s Allied Command Transformation (ACT), Mr Jay Janzen, Director J10 Stratcom at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) and Dr Priscella Nohle, Cognitive Warfare Researcher at ACT.
On the second day, participants from Allied and partner countries engaged in critical discussions on adversary Russia and strategic competitor China. The sessions analysed the philosophy, doctrine and operational realities of both nations in their pursuit of cognitive advantage. Distinguished experts – including Dr Tanna M. Krewson, Dr Todor Tagarev and Brigadier General Professor Han Bouwmeester on Russia, alongside Dr Sae Schatz, Mr Russell Hsiao, Dr Veronica Strina and Dr Dennis Molinaro on China – shared valuable insights in panel discussions and presentations examining the implications for NATO and the future of defence.
The discussions underscored that understanding human psychology, cognitive biases and emotional drivers is critical to bolstering cognitive security. Countering contemporary cognitive threats requires more than strategic responses alone; it depends on resilience at every level of society. This reality places a new demand on professional military education: in order to protect decision-making from manipulation, institutions must teach future leaders how to think, rather than what to think.
Dr Matthew Canham, Lieutenant Colonel Christian Perheentupa, Dr Niklas Serning and Mr Mike Ross further unpacked the “human side” of cognitive warfare. They argued that a society cannot resist manipulation without mentally resilient citizens who are able to navigate nuance and uncertainty, and that mental health forms the foundation of cognitive resilience. Boosting this capacity requires collective action from individuals, organizations and governments.
Following the session, Allied and partner participants worked in mixed groups to identify ways for professional military education to strengthen cognitive resilience. They shared experiences, examined best practices and explored curriculum adaptations and skills needed to better prepare future leaders for the cognitive domain.
A special highlight of the Conference was the presentation of the Star of Military Brotherhood to NDC Commandant Lieutenant General Max A.L.T. Nielsen and Dean Dr Suzanne Nielsen. Bestowed by Ukraine’s Minister of Defence, Mykhailo Fedorov, the award honours their contribution to strengthening cooperation between the National Defence University of Ukraine and the NATO Defense College.
Finally, this 55th edition marks a double milestone: celebrating 75 years of the NATO Defense College and 60 years since its relocation to Rome. By bringing together Allies and partners, the Conference continues to foster unity, strengthen cohesion and enhance cooperation. As the NDC looks to the future, education remains the foundation of cognitive resilience: understanding the threat, translating analysis into action, and embedding lessons across professional military education is key to preparing our future leaders. In doing so, the College reinforces NATO’s ability to think critically, make informed decisions, and act effectively under pressure.
NDC Public Affairs Office
(Prepared by Ms Britt Melinga, NLD C)
Collège de Défense de l'OTAN