NATO implements Counter-Terrorism Reference Curriculum in Ukraine

08.02.2021

 NATO’s Defence Education Enhancement Programme (DEEP) eAcademy recently offered students of the National Defence University of Ukraine a pioneering two-week programme focused on international security. The online course was shaped by NATO’s Counter-Terrorism Reference Curriculum (CTRC), which provides an overview of terrorist ideologies, motivations and methods, as well as contemporary counter-terrorism practices. The course helps participants develop the knowledge and skills needed to understand terrorism and counterterrorism in order to successfully anticipate and mitigate potential threats.

Despite the logistical challenges created by COVID-19, 35 students in Kyiv were taught by a DEEP team of 16 people, working across six different time zones. The programme was led by the CTRC’s Editor, Dr. Sajjan M. Gohel from the United Kingdom. His CTRC team of experienced counter-terrorism practitioners came from countries across the NATO Alliance.

The experience demonstrated how e-learning can help practitioners reach larger audiences with a smaller investment in education infrastructure, making it a viable cost-effective solution to traditional work-based learning. “Tailored e-learning helps us reach out to participants more efficiently and effectively through chat groups, video meetings, interactive tools and also document sharing,” said Dr Gohel. The programme not only provided advanced personalised training, but also delivered engaging digital content and valuable experiences to participants regardless of their location.

The course supported the National Defence University of Ukraine’s ongoing process of staff teaching in blended environments. The university aims to develop and deliver new train-the-trainer courses and content on counter-terrorism based on the principles of innovation, impact, and implementation.

“The integration of information technology in Professional Military Education requires disciplined agility online and this will be further accelerated as virtual education becomes an integral component of NATO’s DEEP eAcademy,” said Dr. Gohel, reflecting on the programme. “Drawing on the cross-cutting research strengths of academia and the practitioner experience of defence and law enforcement agencies, the CTRC’s pioneering approach is directly informed by interdisciplinary empirical analysis,” he added.

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