On 19 June 2013 Senior Course 122 (SC 122) arrived in Bucharest, the final destination on an outstandingly successful and rewarding Field Study.
Next day, Course Members visited the Romanian National Defence University (NDU), where they were welcomed by the Commandant Lieutenant General Teodor Frunzeti. The working programme included four briefings, covering Romanian foreign and domestic policy and the current situation of the Romanian Armed Forces.
Colonel Eng. PhD Teodor Incicas, from the Strategic Planning Directorate of the Romanian General Staff, opened proceedings with a thorough briefing on the current transformation of the Romanian Armed Forces. The speaker explained the background, history and main challenges of the ongoing transformation, highlighting priorities in relation to Smart Defence, pooling and sharing.
The next presentation, by Mr. Cornel Feruta of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, examined Romanian foreign policy in a regional, European and global context. National responsibilities and priorities in terms of global security and stability were clearly highlighted.
With the talk by Police Commissioner Adrian Cipu, Acting Head of the Organized Crime Directorate, attention shifted to domestic affairs. Focusing on the fight against organized crime and the overall structure of Romanian police forces, the speaker explained the mission and tasks of the police. International cooperation and mutual assistance between neighbouring countries, as well as contacts with European and other security institutions, were fully discussed.
To conclude, Presidential Counsellor Mr. Iulian Chifu offered a detailed appraisal of regional security, focusing mainly on the areas bordering the Black Sea. A range of issues were analysed, setting them clearly within a NATO and European Union context and examining bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
Each briefing was followed by a productive and frank Q&A session, offering valuable further insights as a complement to the information presented by the lecturers.
A concluding highlight of the scheduled activities in Bucharest was the visit to the Palace of the Parliament, where Course Members learned a great deal about the political and administrative role of the country’s institutions.
On 21 June, the group returned to the NATO Defense College in Rome for the all-important final few weeks of SC 122.
More about the Field Study:
NATO Defense College 
