IMPROVING SKILLS TO MAKE THE WORLD A SAFER PLACE
About POTC

The Peace Operations Training Centre (POTC) in Slovenia delivers training activities for military, police, and civilian personnel of the ministries and other civilian experts who can be deployed to peacekeeping operations and missions within the UN, EU, NATO, and OSCE. As contemporary security challenges are becoming ever more complex, integration of different methodologies and a multidimensional approach are needed to equip future mission members with the necessary skills and expertise. POTC, as an interdepartmental training centre, provides such comprehensive trainings.

Organization and implementation of trainings for participation in peacekeeping operations and missions would not be possible without the support and cooperation of the Slovenian Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defence.

Organisational chart (click to enhance):

Our Mission

We offer specialised trainings for civilian personnel, police personnel and military personnel.

  • Pre-Deployment Trainings

Future mission members need to learn the specifics of the mission they will be deployed to, its mandate, OPLAN, special rules of operations of international civilian missions, and share experiences with experienced mission members. That is why we are preparing tailor-made country- and mission-specific pre-deployment training programs for future mission personnel.

  • Hostile Environment Awareness Trainings (HEAT)

Being able to effectively deal with risk-associated and emergency/critical situations while deployed in hostile environments abroad is crucial for the well-being of a mission member and for the overall success of the mission as well. That is why we deliver intensive four-day courses for future mission members to deal effectively with risk-associated and emergency/critical situations while deployed in hostile environments abroad. The course is designed for individuals with little or no experience of working in conflict areas.

  • Cultural Heritage Protection

Cultural heritage is a common good passed from previous generations, and threats to cultural heritage can be an indicator of underlying tensions. Trafficking presents a considerable source of financing for international crime and terrorism, so we are paying more attention to protecting heritage in the security sector as well.

  • Gender Equality

Protection from discrimination on the basis of sex and gender is enshrined in the Slovenian constitution and equality between women and men is at the core of the foundational values of the EU and the UN. We equip training participants with knowledge and skills that help them engage and include women as stakeholders in the peace-building and peacekeeping process.

  • Protection of Civilians

In modern armed conflicts, civilian deaths often overtake those of soldiers and armed fighters. Protection of civilians is a broad topic touching on international law, human rights, conflict-related sex- and gender-based violence, minority rights, methodologies for protection of civilians from physical violence, etc. If necessary, this can also be performed by the use of force. We equip participants with a basic understanding of the core topics and approaches.

  • Training of Trainers (ToT)

Dissemination of knowledge and teaching are skills which a lot of security experts still lack. Training of Trainers aims to develop the didactic, pedagogical, and technical skills of participants who will assume trainer roles in international missions and operations, in order to achieve the maximum effect when transferring knowledge and skills. It is tailored to specific peace and security contexts.

WORK PROGRAMME 2023

Work Programme 2022

Coming Up:

Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT)

25th to 29th of September, 2023

Comprehensive Protection of Civilians (CPoC) Course

2nd to 6th of October, 2023

Latest News

Peace and Security Team in Brussels

Centre for European Perspective has been a member of the European and Security Colleague (ESDC) for several years but has only this week attended its first Executive Academic Board. It took place on Tuesday, 12 September and brought together members of over 70...

Uspešna izvedba prvega usposabljanja na temo preprečevanja trgovine z ljudmi v kontekstu mirovnih misij in operacij

Click here to read this article in English. Včeraj, 13. september, smo uspešno na gradu Jable uspešno izvedli usposabljanje vojaškega in civilnega osebja katerega namen je preprečevanje trgovine z ljudmi v kontekstu mirovnih misij in operacij. Usposabljanje je bilo...

POTC v sodelovanju z Ministrstvom za notranje zadeve organizira Usposabljanje o nevarnostih trgovine z ljudmi v kontekstu mednarodnih mirovnih misij in operacij

Click here to read this article in the English language. Dne 13. septembra 2023 bo na Gradu Jable v Mengšu potekalo usposabljanje za uslužbence Ministrstva za obrambo in Slovenske vojske o nevarnostih trgovine z ljudmi v kontekstu mednarodnih mirovnih operacij in...

Call for applications: Comprehensive Protection of Civilians (CPoC) Training, Brussels

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN From October 2 - 6 of this year, POTC will organise, in cooperation with the European Security and Defence College (ESDC), the Comprehensive Protection of Civilians (CPoC) Training in Brussels. The content of this 6-day training is built...

Call for Applications: Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT)

Za več informacij v slovenščini kliknite tukaj.  The Peace Operations Training Centre (POTC) is organising a Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT). The course will take place at Gotenica Police Training Centre in Slovenia from Sunday 24th to Friday 29th...

Advancing Peace Operations: The Inaugural Climate Change, Peace, and Security Training Comes to a Close

Last week, from the 24th to the 26 of April, Jable Castle welcomed 33 participants from 25 countries in what was the first training of its kind on the topic of the emerging concept of “climate security”. 20+ participants were...

From Jable Castle: Successful Conclusion of the Seminar on the Sahel Region from a Peace and Security Perspective

Kliknite tukaj za branje prispevka v slovenskem jeziku. The Sahel Peace and Security Seminar (Sahel region from a peace and security perspective), organised by the Peace Operations Training Centre (POTC) in cooperation with the French Ministry of Armed Forces, was...

Gender Mainstreaming Course Successfully Brought to an End for the 5th Time

The past week, POTC successfully organised the 3-day Gender Equality and Gender Mainstreaming in Peace Operations and Missions training course, which officially concluded on April 23. This was the fifth edition of the training under the auspices of POTC. Klikni tukaj...

Military attachés visit Jable Castle: »POTC is linking us together for future activities«

This Wednesday, February 22nd, Jable Castle was visited by military attachés accredited to or working in Slovenia. The visit was organised by the Defence Policy Directorate of the Ministry of Defence.

TRAINING ANNOUNCEMENT: Acquaintance with the Sahel Region – the Peace and Security Perspective; 19-20 April at Jable Castle

This Wednesday, February 22nd, Jable Castle was visited by military attachés accredited to or working in Slovenia. The visit was organised by the Defence Policy Directorate of the Ministry of Defence.