On 24 April 2026, the NATO Defense College celebrated the graduation of the 35th NATO Regional Cooperation Course (NRCC), composed of 37 Course Members from 21 NATO and partner nations. Attended by Ambassadors to Italy, Defence Attachés, along with Course Members’ families, as well as NDC staff, the ceremony marked the end of the 10-week course dedicated to strengthening partnerships and transatlantic security.
As the NDC’s main partner-oriented educational offering, the biannual NRCC brings together senior military officers and civilian officials to prepare them to navigate today’s complex security landscape. Over ten weeks of lectures, exercises, and a field study, the Course sharpened participants’ strategic-thinking skills while fostering cohesion and trust, both essential for effective collective security.
Opening the ceremony, NDC Commandant Lieutenant General Max A.L.T. Nielsen emphasized the dual value of the Course, underlining its academic excellence and role as a unique platform for participants to exchange perspectives and form long-lasting professional networks. As LGEN Nielsen noted, the NRCC is designed “to foster in-depth interactions and knowledge sharing, and to forge solid relationships. To build understanding. To create human interoperability.” His remarks highlighted how the Course links learning and cooperation in practice. By examining shared security challenges together, participants also develop the mutual confidence and common approaches needed to address them collectively.
Polish Ambassador to Italy H.E. Ryszard Schnepf reinforced the Commandant’s message by emphasizing the importance of cohesion and unity among Allies and partners in the face of current challenges. Centring his address around Poland and its relationship to NATO, he underscored the value of collective security and of “partnerships and alliances grounded in solidarity”.
As the Course President of NRCC 35, Minister Plenipotentiary Ms Sara Taha of Egypt also took the floor to address the guests and her fellow Course Members. Speaking on behalf of the entire cohort, she expressed deep gratitude to the NDC for an enriching experience, highlighting both the academic insights gained and the enduring professional networks forged throughout the Course.
The graduation of NRCC 35 reaffirms the NDC’s enduring commitment to preparing strategic leaders for an interconnected and complex security landscape. These new alumni leave Rome with the professional networks and shared foundations essential for deeper cooperation between NATO and its partners.
NDC Public Affairs Office
(Prepared by Ms Lisa Schumacher, DEU C)
Collège de Défense de l'OTAN