20 years of Partnership Training and Education Centres
The annual Partnership Training and Education Centres (PTEC) Marketplace took place on 5 November 2019 at NATO Headquarters. High-level representatives from 26 PTECs met to exchange expertise, forge new links and discuss further synergies in the key domain of military education and training
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the PTECs. The network of training centres and institutions in NATO member states and partner countries that have been formally recognised as PTECs has grown from six in 1999 to 33 today – and more are in the pipeline.
The PTEC Marketplace was opened by NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană, Assistant Secretary General for Operations John Manza, Rear Admiral Bülent Turan, Deputy Chief of Staff (Partnership Directorate) at SHAPE, and the NATO School Oberammergau Commandant, Colonel Michael A. Davis.
They highlighted PTEC’s proactive engagement in implementing NATO’s wide range of priorities. These include the education and training of military officers from many partner countries, gender perspectives in military operations, contribution to peace-support disciplines, cultural awareness, crisis management and leadership. Another important focus is the Alliance’s increased cooperation with international organisations, such as the African Union, the European Union and the United Nations.
“I know your work is really at the core of NATO’s business. Because education and training are among NATO’s best tools for enhancing the stability and resilience of both Allies and partners. And you are a key part of this effort. […] Last year alone, all centres together conducted 715 different courses, and trained close to 50,000 personnel. More than half of those attending were international,” said NATO Deputy Secretary General Geoană.
PTECs also put together numerous Mobile Training Teams and provide experts on a large spectrum of subjects to support NATO programmes, such as the Defence Education Enhancement Programme (DEEP).
Through courses, specific programmes and expertise, students from across the NATO partnership network have gained strong skills and knowledge. This enables them to contribute to regional confidence-building, to spur innovation, and to exchange ideas and best practices. Last but not least, PTECs play an important role in operations through their support for training of troops preparing to deploy to operations and missions.
The PTEC Marketplace allows participants to present and explain their education and training achievements and promote their respective centres. It showcases the community’s cooperative efforts in the field of education and training, underlining how the centres contribute on a daily basis to addressing common security challenges.