A Centre of Excellence (COE) is a nationally or multinationally funded institution that provides recognized expertise and experience in a specific area of military activity. Although not part of NATO’s formal command structure, each COE is accredited by NATO’s Allied Command Transformation and plays a critical role in supporting the Alliance through doctrine development, training and education, experimentation, and lessons learned.
Centres of Excellence are established and operated by one or more “Framework Nations”, which provide infrastructure, funding, and staffing. Other NATO Allies can participate as “Sponsoring Nations” or “Contributing Nations”, sharing the responsibility and benefits of collaboration. Governance is managed through a steering committee composed of representatives from all Sponsoring Nations. While NATO accredits and coordinates with each COE, the institutions themselves maintain operational independence.
The primary functions of COEs include:
- Developing and refining NATO doctrine and standards
- Conducting training and education for Allied and partner personnel
- Leading concept development and experimentation
- Capturing and disseminating lessons learned from operations and exercises
This decentralized structure allows Centres of Excellence to operate with flexibility and innovation, helping NATO remain agile in the face of evolving security challenges. Today, there are 30 NATO-accredited COEs, covering diverse fields such as cyber defence, military medicine, mountain warfare, command and control, and energy security.
Inside the 2025 NATO COE Catalogue
To provide visibility into this expanding network, NATO publishes an annual COE Catalogue, with the most recent version released in December 2024. The 2025 NATOAccredited Centres of Excellence Catalogue presents an authoritative guide to the COE community, offering clear insight into their missions, governance, and capabilities.
Key contents of the 2025 Catalogue include:
- Foreword and Strategic Framing: Introduces and emphasizes the role of COEs in NATO transformation
- Full Roster of COEs: Lists all 30 accredited Centres, including host nations, specializations, and contact information
- Accreditation and Governance: Explains how COEs are proposed, accredited, and overseen by sponsoring nations and NATO authorities
- Functional Pillars: Describes each COE’s work in doctrine, training, experimentation, and lessons learned
- Support Request Mechanisms: Outlines how NATO entities and member nations can formally request COE support through Allied Command Transformation
- Engagement Opportunities: Offers guidance for how military commands, partner nations, academia, and industry can collaborate with COEs
The catalogue underscores the growing diversity and strategic relevance of NATO’s COE community, highlighting how each institution contributes to interoperability, innovation, and Alliance cohesion.
Why COEs Matter
By drawing on national resources and specialized expertise, Centres of Excellence allow NATO to enhance its capabilities without expanding its command structure. They serve as force multipliers for innovation, doctrinal refinement, and training excellence which enables the Alliance to stay ahead of emerging challenges while promoting collaboration across domains and nations.