NATO provides postgraduate studies to move forward its Defence Education Enhancement Programme in spite of pandemic
Between October 2020 and June 2021 and in response to the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic, NATO set up and successfully completed a series of postgraduate studies on "E-teacher and e-instructor within a new learning environment caused by COVID-19".
A closing ceremony marking the completion of ten month-long online sessions was held on 26 June 2021. 23 civilian and military instructors from 16 NATO member and partner countries received certificates of completion. The students also received the academic diploma of completion, issued by the Polish University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn (UWM), as the documents recognized within the European Education Area, stating 260 academic hours and 60 ECTS points (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System).
The studies were conducted within the framework of the cooperation between NATO’s Defence Education Enhancement Programme and the European Security and Defence College of the European Union. Ten subjects were conducted by lecturers from the NATO Defense College in Rome (Italy), NATO School Oberammergau (Germany), UWM Olsztyn, European Security and Defence College of the European Union, and the eAcademy of NATO’s Defence Education Enhancement Programme. Three participants received a special "Jean d’Andurain Prize" - for the best student to commemorate the founder of NATO’s Defence Education Enhancement Programme.
Based on a feedback from the graduates, the eAcademy of NATO’s Defence Education Enhancement Programme will continue to support instructors with a new “e-Instructor Certification Programme” that will prepare civil and military faculty in professional military education institutions to become fully operational in e-learning environments and will provide knowledge on how to design, plan and implement remote classes and courses.