18 July 2025 marked the completion of Senior Course 146, culminating in a Graduation Ceremony held at the NATO Defense College (NDC). This event underscored the significance of the Senior Course and its contribution to security in fostering collaboration and mutual understanding among Allies and partners.
The ceremony was attended by high-profile military and civilian officials such as Ambassadors to Italy, Defence Attachés, along with Course Members’ families, and NDC Staff. All gathered to celebrate the achievements of the new graduates.
Senior Course 146 brought together 85 senior military and civilian officials from 37 NATO Allied and partner nations, who attended the NDC during the past six months. Running twice a year, the College’s flagship course forges NATO’s future leaders and equips them with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the complex challenges facing the Alliance. Its multinational and multicultural environment provides Course Members with a unique opportunity to hone their consensus-building skills and to foster collective learning.
Opening the ceremony with his address, the NDC Commandant Lieutenant General Max A.L.T. Nielsen reminded the audience of the College’s core purpose: serving as a platform to forge new friendships and to establish lifelong interpersonal and professional networks based on mutual understanding, trust, camaraderie and solidarity as the foundation of international cooperation and multinational dialogue.
General Markus Laubenthal, Chief of Staff Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) and guest of honour for the ceremony, delivered the graduation address. He echoed the Commandant’s remarks, emphasizing the NATO Defense College’s (NDC) vital role in fostering strategic thinking and cultivating dialogue, trust, and cohesion, contributing to a stronger Alliance.
Prior to the conferment of diplomas to the new graduates, Lieutenant General Nielsen and General Laubenthal jointly presented the prestigious Eisenhower Prize to Committee 5 in recognition of the quality of its Committee Study Project (CSP) presentation on NATO’s strategic role in the space domain, both now and in the future.
The CSP presentations are the result of several months of dedicated work and collaborative effort by committees who explored critical contemporary challenges relevant to the Alliance. The Eisenhower Prize not only recognizes their in-depth work on complex issues facing NATO and its partners but also celebrates their exceptional consensus-building skills.
The graduation of the 146th Senior Course is a testament to the NDC’s enduring commitment to developing collective strategic thinking and equipping future leaders to excel in an evolving global security landscape.
NDC Public Affairs Office
(Prepared by Ms Chloé Ketels, FRA C)
NATO Defense College