Monday, 14 December 2020 / Published in Advanced Modular Training, News

Advanced Modular Training 2020 – Virtual Format Validated

CONCEPT

Crisis is a permanent feature of areas around the EU and, given the EU’s global reach, the threats and risks arising from this will most likely affect EU interests (PROBLEM). Libya is just down the road, and there’s also the Sahel and the Middle East, to name just a few of our neighbouring hot spots. You (course participant), as potential CSDP crisis responders / managers, conflict preventers, peace builders, stabilisers, need to know how the EU operates in the field of external action and how the CSDP fits in.

This rationale guided the European Security and Defence College (ESDC) in designing and developing, in 2020, a scenario-based, highly practical, Advanced Modular Training (AMT). For this, we had to answer various questions, such as:

Does the EU have the power to fix the PROBLEM? If so, how can we put together the tools needed to maximum effect (SOLUTION)? How does everything come together?

The Integrated Approach to conflict and crisis is the hallmark of EU external action, the philosophy and ambition of which is to have all stakeholders on the same page (WAYS that would lead to a SOLUTION). In the EU external action context, different levers (diplomacy, trade, development, humanitarian, CSDP) with different focuses, conflict analysis methods, planning cycles, budgets, and cultures cannot react at the same time and in the same manner and cannot be coordinated by an omnipotent, single leadership (multi-dimensional, multi-phased, multi-lateral and multi-level SOLUTION to the PROBLEM).

Are there any methods or processes that put the Integrated Approach into operation? What about CSDP? How does the EU plan to manage/respond to crises at the politico-strategic and strategic levels?

Yes, there are. We exposed participants to several methods and processes that mobilise the EU’s and the Member States’ MEANS to achieve the ENDS. Through Theory of Change, participants visualised the road from unacceptable conditions to a desired end state using objectives, instruments and tools. Through Conflict Analysis, they learned what happens and why, who the actors are and what can be done. Through Crisis Management, they learned about shaping EU engagement in crisis situations using Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) as a means (at political and strategic levels).

STRUCTURE

Participant training and education commenced with the pre-requisite CSDP Orientation Course. AMT followed, in two modules: Integrated Approach & CSDP Crisis Management (AMT 1) and CSDP Crisis Management (AMT 2).

The uncertain context created by the COVID-19 crisis in March 2020 meant that the European Security and Defence College had to rapidly adapt the course and run it in a virtual environment. AMT was organised on the ILIAS ESDC e-learning platform, offering asynchronous self-paced learning, and on BigBlueButton, offering synchronous virtual interactive sessions.

The course was the result of excellent cooperation, synchronisation and efforts by five training providers: the Hellenic Supreme Joint War College, the Swedish Armed Forces International Centre, the Italian Centre for Higher Defence Studies, National University of Ireland Maynooth and the EU Military Staff.

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LESSONS

What have we learned from using this virtual format?

That residential, in-person training cannot be fully replicated in a virtual environment. Nobody doubts that!

However, if judiciously run and combined, virtual synchronous and asynchronous environments can facilitate good knowledge acquisition and skill development, and offer time for deep reflection and freedom of action. The ILIAS learning management system offers good conditions for monitoring individual learning progress, personalised communication and various types of feedback. BigBlueButton proved to be a reliable virtual school environment, with plenary rooms, breakout rooms, and good training features (e.g. polling, sharing notes and personal working space).

Interaction and networking are difficult, and are different to how they are in residential training, but they can be achieved. You cannot touch, smell or taste the training environment but you can get by using just a few senses.

ESDC immediately adapted to satisfy its partners’ and customers’ training needs in new conditions, and at short notice – the very raison d’être of a crisis management organisation.

Thanks to the following!: