NATO’s DEEP eAcademy recently and successfully completed a pioneering two-week pedagogical online programme for the National Defence University of Ukraine (NDUU), which was focused on international security. The course was shaped by NATO’s Counter-Terrorism Reference Curriculum (CTRC). Despite the logistical challenges created by COVID-19, a DEEP team comprising of 16 people, across six different time zones were able to deliver 27 modules from the CTRC to 35 participants from the NDUU.
The programme was led by the CTRC’s Editor Dr. Sajjan M. Gohel from the United Kingdom. Dr. Gohel is also the International Security Director for the London-based independent think-tank, the Asia-Pacific Foundation, as well as a teacher at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). His CTRC team came from countries across the NATO alliance and were all counter-terrorism practitioners with vast experience in Professional Military Education (PME).
DEEP has sought to demonstrate the ability to deliver traditional work-based learning online by demonstrating its significant advantages through the CTRC. In particular, e-learning has helped reach a much bigger number of learners with a smaller investment in education infrastructure, making it a viable cost-effective solution. It has also provided highly advanced personalised training as well as delivering engaging and impactful digital content as well as valuable experiences to participants regardless of their location.
The course supported the NDUU’s on-going process of staff teaching in blended environments to eventually develop and deliver new and enhanced train-the-trainer courses and content on counter-terrorism based on the principles of innovation, impact, implementation. Every phase of the CTRC programme demanded a different collaborative approach due to the uniqueness of each module. The CTRC’s distributed teams developed strategies that were adaptable and driven by the learning needs of the partner institution.
Reflecting on the recent CTRC programme, Dr. Gohel commented “The integration of information technology in PME requires disciplined agility online and this will be further accelerated as virtual education becomes an integral component of NATO’s DEEP eAcademy”.
Dr. Gohel pointed out that “Tailored e-learning enables the ability to reach out to participants more efficiently and effectively through chat groups, video meetings, interactive tools and also document sharing. Part of the process has been to integrate timely examples and case studies to explain the importance of the course content, ensure everyone in the programme has a voice and build on the prior learning and experience of the participants”.