3. 3. 2022 | POTC, PR
In February, the third session of the Peace Operations Training Centre (POTC) Program Council took place virtually with representatives of the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defence, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
CEP Executive Director Katja Geršak presented the role of POTC and pointed out how POTC’s results already contribute to a higher level of international recognition and influence for Slovenia. She pointed out that POTC is the only training centre in Europe that caters to the army, police, and civilian personnel’s training needs. The Secretaries of State confirmed the 2021 Activity Report as well as the implementation plan for 2022. They expressed satisfaction with the completed activities and the plans for 2022.
The program for 2022 includes regular POTC activities like coordination of POTC members, monitoring training development, conducting cross-cutting research activities and the following training activities:
- Gender Mainstreaming and Gender Equality in IOM Training
- Pilot implementation of the course Protection of Civilians
- Pilot implementation of the course Cooperation with the Local Communities and the Populations (CIMIC/CMCoor)
- Assistance to Bosnia and Hercegovina (pre-deployment training, preparation of European project proposals)
- Hostile Environment Awareness Training
- International Humanitarian Law Course
- International Training in Support of the African Security and Defence Architecture in the Sahel Region
- Stabilization and Reconstruction for Civilian Functional Experts
The first training to be carried out in 2022 is the Gender Equality and Gender Mainstreaming in Peace Operations Training starting on March 21st, 2022.
16. 12. 2021 | EUPCST, PR
Centre for European Perspective successfully concluded the hybrid hosting of the third European Union Police and Civilian Services Training (EUPCST) Steering Committee meeting. The meeting taking place between 14 and 16 December in hybrid format enabled 18 project partners to discuss and network in-person at Jable castle, Slovenia, and with the rest of the partners via the Zoom platform online.
During the two-day programme the discussions between all partners focused on the results of the EUPCST activities implemented from 2019 to 2021 (which resulted in high satisfaction of participants, referring to the conducted evaluations), challenges faced during this period (mostly referring to COVID-19 pandemics), and proposed improvements for future engagements so that they can enable staff in civilian crisis management and stabilisation actions to work in a more efficient, effective, and sustainable manner and to achieve their mandates.
Partners also worked on the complementation of the tentative plan where they coordinated amongst each other the future activities that will be implemented in 2022. The plan for 2022 is ambitious and there will be many different opportunities provided for the transfer of knowledge and skills to the personnel deployed to international missions and operations through training programmes, knowledge sharing congresses, and workshops.
9. 12. 2021 | POTC, PR
Klikni tukaj za branje prispevka v slovenskem jeziku. 🇸🇮
Today, on 9 December 2021, the Peace Operations Training Centre (POTC), in cooperation with the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Slovenia, successfully conducted a third workshop for the design of the course Community and People Centred Approach for future participants of international missions and operations. The workshop was organized in a hybrid format and was attended by representatives of defence policy, civil defence, military, police, international and humanitarian organisations and others.
The aim of the workshop was to learn about the approach and contribution of international organisations to an integrated approach to action in areas of international operations and missions, with an emphasis on action at the level of local communities and populations. In the presentations made, experts from NATO, UN, EU and OSCE presented the legal, strategic, doctrinal and tactical documentary basis for community and populations engagement (coordination and cooperation) in missions in the context of the implementation of various projects and other forms of engagement at the local level. They stressed the importance of building trust with local stakeholders, patience, learning from mistakes, identifying relevant actors working in the same area. At the same time they highlighted the challenge of reaching populations in remote locations and of limited operations in security emergencies and in the context of mission mandates.
Building on the shared experience and knowledge of all participants from all three Community and People Centred Approach workshops conducted in 2021, POTC will develop a high-level course on effective engagement between future participants in international missions or operations and local communities and populations in host countries and pilot it in 2022.
6. 12. 2021 | EUPCST, PR
Centre for European Perspective will host the next European Union Police and Civilian Services Training (EUPCST) Steering Committee Meeting, scheduled to take place between 14 and 16 December 2021 in hybrid form. CEP is an active member of the consortium of 23 European partners that all focus on enabling staff in civilian crisis management and stabilisation actions to work in a more efficient, effective, and sustainable manner in order to achieve their mandates. EUPCST project started in the beginning of 2018 and has been prolonged until the end of 2022. So far, more than 25 international training courses and 15 debates were successfully delivered across Europe.
Participants joining the meeting via Zoom and in-person at Jable castle will discuss the results of the activities implemented from 2019 to 2021, and talk about faced challenges and proposed improvements for the future engagements. Tentative plan for the activities in the upcoming year will be prepared to further develop and transfer knowledge and skills for international missions through training programmes and knowledge sharing congresses and workshops.
2. 12. 2021 | EUPCST, PR
Training of Trainers course for Civilian Crisis Management Experts, held from 29. 11. to 2. 12. 2021, has successfully concluded. Due to the pandemics, we welcomed the participants in a shortened online format but nonetheless we were glad that we were able to get to know them at least virtually, listen to their valuable input and engage in inspiring discussions with them.
Four-day course brought together 14 participants from eight countries. Participants – civilian and police experts – together with two experienced lecturers slowly put together a patchwork puzzle of classical lectures, stimulating practical exercises, creative ice breakers, and relaxing energisers while sharing experiences, knowledge, and new ideas.
First half of the course strengthened participants’ knowledge about what it means to be a trainer, about teaching and learning theories and which techniques to use in a training session. Second half of the course focused on delivering a training session online, planning a presentation and finally presenting it in front of the class for a session of peer-to-peer evaluation.
We hope and believe that participants, some of them already waiting to be deployed to EU Common Security and Defence Policy missions, were able to gather skills and confidence to take up the roles of trainers and successfully implement their own trainings in the future.
We wish them all the best in all their future professional training endeavours!
The training is organised as part of the European Union Police and Civilian Services Training (EUPCST) that provides tailor-made training activities for individuals working in the EU’s CSDP and other international missions.
22. 11. 2021 | EUCTI, PR
After the successful conclusion of the training’s first edition, the Centre for European Perspective will implement the second edition of the training on Digital Communications in Civilian Crisis Management as a part of the European Union Civilian Training Initiative (EUCTI), which provides tailor-made training activities for individuals working in the EU’s CSDP and other international missions (OSCE, UN, AU and others)…
The four-day training, which will take place online due to the pandemic situation, is designed to increase the awareness of mission communication experts on the efficient use of information technology to enhance missions’ communication performance.
Successful strategic communication aids in establishing a trustworthy relationship with the public by engaging with them in a timely, transparent and open manner. In the case of peace operation missions, information technologies could be better utilised for strategic communication to increase the support of the domestic and foreign public and increase its legitimacy. Thus, the course aims to strengthen the overall performance of missions’ communication efforts, which enhance the mission’s legitimacy.
The upcoming training will take place in parts on the 23rd and 29th of November and resume on the 7th and 10th of December. It addresses the needs of the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo with participation extended to experts serving in other international missions and organisations in Kosovo. The upcoming training represents the first module of the training, which is going to facilitate a theoretical basis on digital communications in civilian crisis management. This will provide participants with the platform to take part in the second module of the training in the future, which is more practically oriented.
