On 7th of January 2019, the Baltic Defence College (BALTDEFCOL) held an opening ceremony for two of its courses – the Higher Command Studies Course (HCSC) and the Civil Servants’ Course (CSC).

HCSC has been conducted since 2004 and this will be the 15th course with 21 participants coming from 12 countries. CSC has been conducted since 2001 and this will be the 14th time the course is conducted. CSC 2019 is attended by 11 participants representing Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Germany.

Major General Andis Dilāns, the Commandant of BALTDEFCOL, welcomed the students to the College and wished them success in their studies. In his opening speech, MG Dilāns noted that training is for the expected and education for the unexpected. Thus, although the two courses have a different aim, curriculum and history, the starting point is the same – the College is preparing both the military and civilian personnel for an unexpected future and for a full spectrum of threats that require specific competencies and skills. Therefore, it is crucial to follow the significant events and developments in the region and in the world, including Brexit and Russia’s action in Syria and Afghanistan. He also encouraged all the courses’ participants to interact, both socially and intellectually, to share knowledge and experiences and to build their professional ties as BALTDEFCOL is just facilitating the education, but the students themselves are writing their future.

HCSC is a senior level course of five-month duration providing education for senior officers and civilian officials on strategic level and leadership issues. It consists of six modules and includes two international study trips. Totally 207 graduates from NATO, EU and partner countries, have graduated from HCSC.

CSC is designed for junior and mid-ranking civil servants who deal with national security and defence issues in various ministries and government agencies. This course is just over three months long and is conducted closely together with the Joint Command and General Staff Course (JCGSC). Thus, CSC builds upon close civil-military interaction and promotes inter-agency cooperation, which is beneficial for respective nations.

Although, the courses have different curriculum, some educational actives, such as electives, annual Conference on Russia and round table seminars will be conducted with their joint participation. Furthermore, both courses’ participants will benefit from the 20th Anniversary programme at the College culminating with a joint graduation on 20th of June 2019.