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Welcome to the Higher Command Studies Course 2018

Congratulations on your selection as a student of the Higher Command Studies Course (HCSC) 2018, which will be held from 15th January to 21st June, at the Baltic Defence College (BALTDEFCOL), in the lively and historical university town of Tartu, Estonia.

HCSC was created in 2004 to educate senior military officers and government officials on the wide range of challenges regarding the adaptation of the defense institutions at the national, Allied and European levels, such that they become better able to participate in the full spectrum of twenty-first century operations. The core rationale for the course is to ensure that the Baltic states’ armed forces will be able to make an effective contribution to meet today’s and tomorrow’s strategic challenges, and their respective leaderships will understand the requirement for, and will be ready to lead, major defense development programs. Over 180 students, representing more than thirty countries, have graduated from HCSCs. Many have since received important and demanding postings in their home countries or international organizations.

The core of the HCSC’s curriculum has been designed to provide an integrated overview of contemporary geopolitical affairs and security issues to enable students to think creatively and critically about issues of strategic importance. You will start with a wider strategic focus and then narrow down to issues related to strategy formulation, defence planning, high command and strategic resource management. You will examine the evolution of the security environment and contemporary ideas on the use of military power. Against this background, you will take a critical look at how NATO, EU and individual states are responding to current and future security challenges and assess the progress they have made. Finally, we will help you to develop an ability to choose and apply tools that might be used to support further defence development.

The HCSC’s educational approach seeks to take the fullest possible advantage of the course’s multinational character and the breadth and depth of experience of its student body. The course is designed to be highly participatory and we expect you to research and present material on all aspects of the curriculum and to engage with each other and with our faculty. You will see from the enclosed administrative information that we also expect you to undertake some preparations before you arrive in Tartu.

Although the course is intensive, we hope that it will also provide you with opportunities for your professional and personal growth. We are certain that you will find new friends during your stay with us at the Baltic Defence College. Our team will also encourage you to take some time to get to know Tartu, Estonia and the Baltic states a lot better.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. Meanwhile, I look forward to meet you in January!

ALBERTAS DAPKUS

Colonel (LTU A)
Course Director
Higher Command Studies Couse/Senior Leaders’ Course
[email protected]

 

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