BRUSSELS – Nina Čepon and Urban Jakša are wrapping up their work visit to Brussels, where they represented the EUTI consortium at the Executive Academic Board (EAB) meeting that took place on 11 and 12 January 2026.

During the sessions, Nina and Urban collaborated with partners to update the HEAT (Hostile Environment Awareness Training) curriculum to include new modules that reflect the evolving realities of CSDP missions, such as threats from drones and doxing. They also gave an overview of the past and future EUTI plans to the participants of the meeting, ensuring continued alignment with European training standards.

One of the outcomes of EAB was the confirmation of several pilot trainings, including Environmental Management and AI Leadership. The ESDC network also expanded during this session with the inclusion of three new members, such as Democritus University.

In Working Groups 1 and 2, the focus remained on refining training for Project Management and mission orientation. Furthermore, new trainings to be carried out under the auspices of the ESDC were introduced, focusing heavily on psychological support and medical care in the field.

One of the highlights of the visit was a meeting at DG DEFIS (Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space). This session highlighted the growing intersection of space, the defense industry, and evolving training needs—ranging from specialized space programs like Copernicus and Galileo to vital administrative, HR, and procurement skills.

Furthermore, while in Brussels, the Urban held a meeting with representatives of the European Commission responsible for monitoring the EUTI project. He presented key milestones and innovations, highlighting how EUTI’s nature as a smaller consortium allows for agile testing of new tools and approaches. The goal remains ensuring the sustainability of these practices by successfully transferring knowledge and expertise to the ESDC.

A bit more on EAB: The Executive Academic Board (EAB) is a central body of the European Security and Defence College (ESDC). Its role is to ensure the quality and consistency of training activities provided under the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy. More information on their work is available here.