Senior educators and experts support defence capacity-building for partners
From 27 to 29 June, the Bulgarian city of Varna was the stage for the fifth annual NATO Clearing House on Defence Education. For three days, the Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy of Bulgaria hosted a series of rich debates and productive discussions among the defence educators and NATO experts assembled.
The event was held under the umbrella of NATO’s Defence Education Enhancement Programme (DEEP), which connects senior educators from Allied nations with their counterparts from partner countries with the objective of enhancing educational curricula and learning methods. ”The strategic goal is through military education to develop a common military culture and perception in the neighbouring regions, thus contributing to the regional security and stability. The DEEP combines in a unique way the Alliance’s multilateral framework with the advantages of the direct bilateral school-to-school cooperation,” said Deputy Minister of Defence of Bulgaria Dimitar Kyumyurdzhiev.
The exchanges and outcomes focused on how to support NATO and partner countries in their commitment to reach DEEP objectives, to build, modernise and reform defence institutions.
The Clearing House gathered 58 participants from 19 countries and 41 institutions, coming together to reassert their shared coordinated support to the DEEP programmes. From the 11 existing programmes to future endeavours, all wide-ranging participants renewed their commitment to further their efforts in this domain.
The event was organised in conjunction with the PfP Consortium of Defense Academies and Security Studies Institutes as well as several Partnership Training and Education Centres.
It once again proved an invaluable multinational platform for the continued success and gradual progression of the individual DEEP country programmes.