The Civil-Military Cooperation Centre of Excellence, located in The Hague, Netherlands, has been a vital hub for expertise in Civil-Military Cooperation and Interaction since its official accreditation on July 31, 2007. This Centre plays a pivotal role in enhancing NATO’s resilience against asymmetrical and transnational challenges encompassing both military and non-military aspects.
Functioning as a hub for education, knowledge sharing, and engagement, the Centre ensures that NATO personnel are well-equipped to understand and navigate complex civil-military cooperation scenarios. Its core objective is to integrate civil factors into the operating environment, supporting the accomplishment of missions and objectives. The Centre’s comprehensive Programme of Work encompasses various areas, including Education and Training, Analysis and Lessons Learned, Concept Development, Doctrine Development, and Experimentation.
The Centre develops training requirements and synchronizes training across the Alliance. It also acts as the Discipline Lead for Civil-Military Cooperation for the European Union. The Centre provides approved courses for NATO Civil-Military Cooperation staff, attracting students from Partner nations.
A notable achievement of the Centre is the creation of a groundbreaking Master of Arts in Civil-Military Interaction degree, the first of its kind for a NATO Centre of Excellence. This degree aligns military education efforts with civilian standards, better preparing military and civilian personnel for command functions.
The Centre’s involvement extends to the development of NATO concepts and policies, overseeing the creation of the Allied Joint Doctrine for Civil-Military Cooperation, and contributing significantly to NATO’s doctrinal framework and capstone documents. It also plays a role in the doctrinal development of the European Union and the United Nations.
The Centre organizes various military working groups, conferences, and committees. Notably, it conducts an Annual Discipline Conference, where NATO Disciplines present their latest developments and statuses to NATO and other stakeholders. Additionally, in partnership with the Finnish Defence Forces International Centre, the Centre recently hosted a key event, the integrated Civil-Military Cooperation Key Leader Conference and Community of Interest Workshop, focusing on interoperability.
As an accredited NATO Centre of Excellence, it provides recognized expertise and experience in its defined subject matter area to benefit the Alliance, although it is not part of the NATO Command Structure. NATO Allied Command Transformation oversees the coordination of activities among the Centres of Excellence, ensuring alignment with its Programme of Work. For more information about NATO-accredited Centres of Excellence, refer to the 2023 Centres of Excellence Catalogue.
