The NATO Defence College (NDC), located in Rome, Italy, ‘contributes to the effectiveness and cohesion of the (NATO) Alliance by developing its role as a major centre of education, outreach and research on transatlantic security issues.’ It ‘provides senior-level education and brings together senior-level military and civilian officials to interact on NATO issues.’ As part of the field study for NDC’s main course (Senior Course 132), Regional Approaches and Partnerships for Peace (PfP), students visited London, and Paris. The travelled then to Switzerland, a long-standing and very active member of the PfP. Upon their arrival in Geneva, on 27 March, the group went to the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) to receive briefings on International Geneva, the Swiss centres and on the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).The group was led by Brigadier General David Pincet, French Air Force, Head of the Academic Operations Division at NDC.

14th Orientation Course for Defence Attachés and Senior Officials successfully closes in Geneva.

The Defence Attaché Course (Geneva) is an interactive course organised by the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP). The missions of a Defence Attaché are constantly evolving. This course aims to develop the skills and expertise of defence officials working in a multilateral, multicultural environment within the field of international security. This is done through practical training in national and international procedures as well as other areas relevant for their future work.

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The character of war has changed forever.

On 12 February, the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) conducted a public discussion with Martin van Creveld, Professor Emeritus at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem. He shared observations on how military strategy has changed and remained constant in the new security landscape. According to van Creveld, military strategy still faces the difficulty of exercising political control over an event so fraught with emotion.  It still depends on a mixture of force and guile and has to deal with the Strapazen (stress and strain) of conflict. Uncertainty in situational awareness experienced by participants in military operations, the "fog of war" remains a factor, as does the need for leadership, organisation, discipline and cohesion. Van Creveld also stressed the continuing importance of strategic surprise and the need for quality over quantity in all aspects. 

Yet despite these constants, numerous aspects of war have changed, requiring new military strategies. Van Creveld noted the rise of air war, as well as at sea (submarine war), space war, and cyberwar, and the demise of Blitzkrieg, the introduction of new weapons and weapon systems in war raging from tanks and machine guns to Precision-Guided Munitions (PGMs).