BALTDEFCOL Leaders Meet with Austrian Counterparts

The Commandant of the Baltic Defence College, Brigadier General Gundars Abols (Latvian Army) and the Baltic Defence College Dean, Dr. James Corum, visited the Austrian National Defence Academy (Landesverteidigungsakdemie) in Vienna Austria from 14 to 16 September. Lieutenant general Schittenhelm, Austrian Army, was the host for the Baltic Defence college commandant and dean.

The purpose of the visit was to deepen the relationship between the two staff colleges. The Austrian National Academy is a well- established and highly respected military educational institution. The National Defence Academy runs a staff college course for the Austrian armed forces and carries out many other missions for the Austrian armed forces and government. The core of the Academy consists of four Institutes that teach a variety of professional courses for military officers and civilians. The Institute for Strategic Leadership Training oversees the General Staff Course and the military higher education courses. The Institute for Strategic Studies and Security Policy conducts a variety of advanced courses. The Institute for Peace Support and Conflict Management offers courses in peace operations—a field where Austria is heavily involved—and sponsors some cutting edge research and scholarship in that field. Finally, the Institute for Human and Social Sciences works closely with other Austrian institutions of higher education.

Although Austria does not have a large armed forces (22,000 active duty), it still retains an outstanding military education institution and faculty. Under these four institutes, the Austrians have an extremely capable academic faculty and the Austrian National Defence Academy is very active in sponsoring and publishing academic research on all aspects of modern conflict and security. The Austrian National Defence Academy is also responsible for the Austrian institute of language studies and the highly- respected Austrian Military Journal.

Over the last years Baltic Defence College faculty members have participated in workshops and conferences hosted by the Austrian National Defence Academy. The Baltic Defence College and the Austrian National Defence Academy are also co-members and founders of the International Society for Military Sciences.

However, there are many other ways in which the Baltic Defence College and the Austrian national Defence Academy can work together. The Austrians have noted their readiness to support the Baltic Defence College program by providing guest lecturers in various subjects. The Austrians also offer the Baltic Defence College some excellent opportunities to publish research by BDCOL faculty and students in English. The BDCOL leaders also discussed the possibility of conducting joint academic workshops and cooperation on a variety of research projects.

In short, the visit marks a new era in closer cooperation between the two academic educational institutions. Both institutions have expertise to share and many common interests in which the two institutions and faculties can cooperate. As Austria is currently working closely with the EU and NATO on a variety of missions, it makes sense for the Austrian national Defence Academy and the Baltic Defence College to work closely and to improve the personal and institutional links.

As an immediate outcome, BDCOL expects to have Austrian participation in several of the Baltic Defence College’s upcoming academic workshops.