16. 3. 2026 | POTC, PR
Kliknite tukaj za branje članka v slovenskem jeziku.
From 8 to 13 March 2026, the Peace Operations Training Centre (POTC) and the European Security and Defence College (ESDC) successfully co-organised the Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT) at the Gotenica Police Training Centre. A total of 20 participants from diverse professional backgrounds successfully completed the five-day training in the southwestern part of Slovenia (HEAT 2026).
Throughout the week, participants strengthened their security and situational awareness, reinforced a strong safety mindset, and built confidence in handling hostile situations. The programme combined e-learning modules prior to arrival with in-person lectures, guided discussions, role-playing, simulations, and a complex field training exercise. Participants tackled topics such as threat awareness, threat management, medical response, orientation, communication, mobility, and deployment in hostile environments. A strong focus was placed on practical rehearsals of safety and security procedures and on developing the right behaviours to respond effectively under stress.
The training would not have been possible without the dedication, professionalism, and energy of the Slovenian and international trainers who guided participants through demanding and realistic scenarios. A big thank you to all of them for sharing their expertise and experience.
Congratulations to all 20 participants for their commitment, teamwork, and resilience throughout the week. We look forward to seeing the positive impact of this training in future missions and deployments.
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2. 3. 2026 | POTC, PR
POTC’s gender mainstreaming 5-day training programme was successfully delivered. The training took place at Jable Castle in Slovenia. A total of 19 participants took part, and 8 lecturers/trainers delivered the training programme. The training was delivered in cooperation with the European Security and Defence College (ESDC).
Kliknite tukaj za branje članka v slovenskem jeziku.
The programme was tailored for up to 20 civilian experts, police officers, and military personnel, either currently deployed or preparing for deployment to international missions. It was also open to individuals from third countries who are involved in, or plan to join, CSDP, NATO, OSCE, or UN missions, or who are assigned to roles in fragile states.
The training aimed to boost the operational effectiveness by equipping participants with the knowledge and skills needed to integrate a gender perspective into CSDP and international missions and operations. The aim of the training was achieved through our expert speakers/trainers from Slovenia, the Netherlands, Finland, and Kenya.
The certificates were handed to the participants by Ambassador Darja Bavdaž Kuret, Slovenian Ambassador-at-Large for Women, Peace and Security.
POTC would like to thank everyone who helped realise the training: the speakers, participants, and institutional partners, especially the European Security and Defence College and the International Peace Support Training Centre (IPSTC) of Kenya.
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25. 11. 2025 | EUTI, Peace and security, PR
The Centre for European Perspective and the European Union Training Initiative took part in the European Security and Defence College’s Annual Training and Education Conference, held over two days at the historic Egmont Palace in Brussels.
This year’s conference focused on practical and innovative ways to enhance the effectiveness of the training cycle within the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy. Participants worked through each key stage of the EU training loop — Training Needs, Standardisation & Adaptation, Innovation & Methodology, and Evaluation & Uptake — through a series of appetiser discussions and targeted breakout groups.
Representatives of the Centre for European Perspective and the European Union Training Initiative contributed to the appetiser discussion on Standardisation & Adaptation and led one of the breakout groups within this segment. Their session explored the crucial balance between standardised curricula and the necessary flexibility or adjustability of training formats. The discussion highlighted the importance of aligning training with real operational contexts while maintaining coherence across the broader EU framework.
Beyond the working sessions, the conference served as an excellent platform to exchange best practices, discuss emerging needs, and strengthen cooperation with partners from across Europe. The atmosphere encouraged open dialogue and the sharing of forward-looking ideas that will contribute to further improving training standards at the EU level.
The Centre for European Perspective and the European Union Training Initiative extend their appreciation to the European Security and Defence College for organising a well-structured and engaging conference, and for fostering a community dedicated to enhancing the quality and impact of EU training.
11. 9. 2025 | EUTI, PR
On 8–9 September 2025, the EU Training Initiative (EUTI) was officially launched at the Permanent Representation of Slovenia to the EU in Brussels. The two-day kick-off and partner meeting was led by the EUTI Secretariat, together with the EUTI Consortium, comprising 15 civilian, police, and gendarmerie organisations throughout the EU. The event brought together representatives from the European Commission, the European External Action Service (EEAS), the European Security and Defence College (ESDC), and Civilian Operations HQ (CivOpsHQ) to discuss the initiative’s objectives, main activities, and next steps.
The EUTI initiative aims to strengthen the European Union’s capacity to respond to global challenges by providing specialised, demand-driven, and tailor-made training to civilian, police, and gendarmerie experts already deployed or soon to be deployed to international crisis management and peace support missions. It focuses on three main pillars: addressing training needs, advising on training harmonisation, standardisation and certification, and introducing innovative training methodologies and strategies to meet emerging challenges.
During the partner meeting, participants reviewed the EUTI Manual and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), ensuring alignment with EU priorities, Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) training policies and operational requirements. Working groups explored strategies for implementing training modules, fostering cooperation among EU institutions, and enhancing knowledge exchange across member states, their training and academic institutions, and seconding agencies. The Consortium partners charted the EUTI Training Catalogue, a living and non-exhaustive document listing all the training capacities and capabilities of project partners, building on their more than a decade-long experience in providing training in the civilian crisis management context.
EUTI Kickoff and high-level panel discussion
A highlight of the event was a high-level panel discussion featuring representatives from the European Commission, EEAS, ESDC, and the CivOpsHQ. Panellists emphasised the value of coordinated training efforts and innovative approaches to civilian crisis management training.
“Training must be innovative, collaborative and adaptable — because the needs of missions are changing faster than ever.”
The event also featured informal networking sessions, allowing participants to strengthen partnerships and exchange experiences, laying the groundwork for the next steps of EUTI’s implementation.
Through EUTI, the EU is enhancing professional development, promoting best practices, and building sustainable capacities for its crisis management and peace support missions.
18. 3. 2025 | Peace and security, POTC, PR
The Comprehensive Approach to Gender in Operations training, held at Jable Castle in Slovenia from 10 to 14 March 2025, was successfully completed by 14 participants from 8 different countries. The training was delivered in cooperation between the Peace Operations Training Centre (POTC) and the European Security and Defence College (ESDC).
Kliknite tukaj za branje članka v slovenskem jeziku.
During the five-day training programme, participants from various professional backgrounds worked on topics such as:
• Gender mainstreaming,
• Gender roles and power structures within the local context,
• Normative and legal frameworks and the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda,
• Vulnerable groups in conflict and conflict-related gender-based violence,
• The gender dimension in human trafficking,
• The gender dimension in the climate-security nexus,
• Gender mainstreaming in Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions,
• Experiences from international missions and operations, including the roles of gender and protection advisers and gender focal points in peace operations, and
• Individual contributions to gender mainstreaming.
The overall objective of the training was to enhance operational effectiveness by equipping participants with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively incorporate a gender perspective in CSDP and international missions and operations.
POTC would like to thank the trainers and ESDC for their excellent cooperation, and especially all participants, who significantly contributed to the successful delivery of the training through their high level of engagement, active participation, and insightful discussions.
Photo highlights from the training:
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