At the beginning of 2025, we reflect on the achievements of 2024 and look forward to the opportunities ahead. NATO’s Defence Education Enhancement Programme (DEEP) remains dedicated to strengthening partnerships with allied nations and improving military education institutions. Below, we present the key highlights of the year, celebrating our accomplishments.
NATO supports military education in fifteen partner nations through the DEEP and helps partners build, develop, and reform their professional military education institutions by establishing validated common references for military education. In 2024, the Programme executed 534 events—both online and in-person—involving 1,515 Subject Matter Experts and reaching over 3,139 partner faculty members and instructors. Two DEEP reference documents have been completed: the Hybrid Threats and Hybrid Warfare Reference Curriculum and the Leadership and Ethics Reference Curriculum, which are the latest additions to the DEEP “toolbox” for supporting partners.
Significant Achievements in 2024
DEEP Armenia The Armenian Armed Forces are undergoing a tremendous transitional process of westernizing their entire professional military education system. This includes the review of all officers’ BA and MA program curricula, the implementation of a new leadership culture, modern teaching methodologies and technologies, the introduction of new ranks in career development standards, especially in NCO development, the optimization of the PME institution structure, and the improvement of PME management to increase interoperability with NATO.
DEEP Bosnia and Herzegovina In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Agency for Education and Professional Development in the Ministry of Security has developed new counter-terrorism courses with the support of DEEP.
DEEP Iraq DEEP Iraq is supporting NATO Mission Iraq (NMI) efforts for the capacity building of Iraqi Professional Military Education institutions. A faculty development program was introduced to the Defence University for Military Studies (DUFMS) colleges and institutes, the Educational Cadre Development Centre (ECDC), Military Academy, Elite Non-Commissioned Officers School, and Air Force Academy. A newly established Curriculum Development Practitioners Course is delivered to ECDC, the Ministerial Training and Development Centre, Elite Non-Commissioned Officers School, and Defence Languages Institute. DEEP’s focus in Iraq remains on the Long-Term Objectives: NCO Development, Curriculum Review and Faculty Development, English Language Proficiency improvement, and implementation of e-Learning.
DEEP Mauritania Through DEEP Mauritania and the Military Education Initiative of the DCB Mauritania, NATO continues to improve both the content of various curricula and the professional development of the faculties of the involved institutions (Staff College, G5 Sahel Defence College, Joint Military Academy located in Atar, and Higher Institute of English).
DEEP Moldova The Republic of Moldova has continued implementing ambitious reforms for the development of the Non-Commissioned Officers Corps with the support of DEEP. These reforms include the establishment of new ranks, payment system, duties, and multiple levels of education for Non-Commissioned Officers.
DEEP Morocco Based on successful cooperation with the Moroccan Armour School Non-Commissioned Officers Training Centre, the Moroccan Armed Forces have now used the standard NATO DEEP reference curricula for NCO education across NCO schools from all services. Discussions with other key players are also ongoing to assist other Nations’ Armed Forces in Africa to improve their NCO Corps.
DEEP Tunisia In Tunisia, DEEP is supporting the introduction, development, and implementation of a tailored Learning Management System (LMS) for the needs of the Tunisian Armed Forces. By 2026, all Tunisian military schools and academies will share one Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) platform and have trained administrators, instructors, and content creators proficient in creating multimedia and online materials for the professional military education of the Tunisian Armed Forces. Tunisia has begun to send DEEP-trained SMEs to deliver faculty development in Mauritania.
DEEP Ukraine Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, DEEP Ukraine’s objectives evolved to meet new challenges. Today, the programme focuses on two key goals: transforming the Ukrainian PME system to align with NATO and Western models, and enabling Ukrainian officers and NCOs to effectively counter Russian aggression. DEEP has worked across 12 strategic areas, concentrating on embedding NATO standards and procedures into military curricula, cultivating a new leadership philosophy, strengthening English language proficiency, optimizing the structure of PME institutions, expanding distance learning capabilities, improving PME management, and integrating a robust Lessons Learned process into military education.
- The PME system for officers and NCOs has been reorganised following NATO DEEP guidelines into an L1-L5 school structure. Teaching methodologies transformed to emphasize students’ critical thinking. NATO-standard curricula are now being delivered for critical subjects like operational planning and leadership (e.g., Mission Command). Widespread distance learning capacity has been developed. An entire NATO education and training system for both students and instructors has been created, and the Minister of Defence approved the PME Management Strategy in 2024.
- DEEP has played a crucial role in implementing six key areas of the Interoperability Roadmap: the Lessons Learned (LL) system, NATO standards implementation, Professional Military Education (PME) and Training, Professional Civilian Education and Training, language requirements, and the Common Headquarters Organization.
- NATO standards and NATO decision-making procedures have been embedded in the tactical, operational, and strategic-level courses.
- The Civilian Servant Course at the National Defence University of Ukraine, a strategic-level course designed to equip civilian staff with the skills and knowledge needed for national policy formulation, policy implementation, and ensuring civilian oversight in accordance with Euro-Atlantic best practices, was created.
- Training Quality Assurance Units have been established in all military higher education institutions.
- Continued training of Ukrainian instructors abroad strengthens the readiness of Ukrainian NCOs.
- The Basic and Advanced Fire Range Manager Courses in Lithuania helped Ukrainian instructors acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to enable soldiers to properly operate firearms.
- The DEEP-supported NCO Battle Staff Course, suspended at the outbreak of the war, has resumed. Instructors from Ukrainian military training institutions were trained in Lithuania to conduct a similar course independently in Ukraine.
The progress achieved in 2024 sets the stage for even greater strides in the years ahead. We are strengthening partnerships and exploring new areas of advanced learning and educational technology. Together, we are shaping the future of military education—making it more agile, resilient, and ready to meet the challenges of an ever-evolving world.