The Defence Against Terrorism Centre of Excellence is a NATO accredited multi-national sponsored entity currently comprised of seven NATO nations (Albania, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Türkiye and the United States). The Centre is NATO’s hub for Counter Terrorism expertise, a status that explicitly flows from its unique role as an independent organization outside the NATO Command Structure.
This empowers the Defence Against Terrorism Centre of Excellence to interact with universities, think tanks, researchers, international organizations, global partners, and other Centres of Excellence in a massive community of interest. Based on the broad swath of counter terrorism-focused knowledge, created through deliberate interaction and collaboration with the Centre’s wide-reaching network, the Defence Against Terrorism Centre of Excellence is able to provide subject-matter expertise and advice to NATO and Allies on all Defence Against Terrorism matters and support NATO’s Long Term Military Transformation efforts.
The Centre remains committed to its vital mission of providing key decision makers with a comprehensive understanding of Terrorism and Counter Terrorism in order to support NATO’s and Partners’ transformation to meet future security challenges. Terrorism remains a persistent and evolving threat to NATO and our partners, demanding collective vigilance and innovative solutions. The Defence Against Terrorism Centre of Excellence serves as a hub for exchange of knowledge, collaboration, and the development of strategies in the fight against terrorism. In this ever-shifting landscape of global challenges, they recognize that terrorism continues to transform, presenting us with new complexities and risks.
It is imperative that NATO prepares itself in parallel; therefore, we need active participation and collaboration. Understanding how other countries perceive and fight terrorism, as well as the context in which terrorism emerges, will produce new and comprehensive ideas for combating, preventing, and responding to terror. Through their thought-provoking events, research initiatives, and products, you can deepen our understanding of the evolving dynamics surrounding terrorism and craft proactive responses that outpace the adaptability of those who seek to disrupt peace and stability.
The Defence Against Terrorism Centre of Excellence employs a comprehensive and multifaceted approach to fulfill its mission. The Centre conducts both residential and mobile education and training courses, providing a platform for military and civilian experts to exchange knowledge. Since its inauguration in 2005, COE-DAT courses have attracted nearly 14,500 participants from over 124 countries, significantly contributing to NATO’s training initiatives and promoting interoperability and commonly shared understanding of the nature of the challenge in counter terrorism among member states.
Key events of the Centre’s annual agenda are its conferences and seminars, which function as essential forums for disseminating experiences and lessons learned from recent counter-terrorism operations, analyzing global trends, and forecasting future challenges in terrorism and counter-terrorism. The insights identified from these events are meticulously compiled into comprehensive reports, offering valuable knowledge to stakeholders.
Beyond its education and training endeavors, the Defence Against Terrorism Centre of Excellence functions as a repository for international, national, and NATO-shared information, analysis, and lessons learned. It collaborates closely with the NATO Joint Analysis and Lessons Learned Centre, further enhancing its knowledge capabilities and sharing Best Practices in counter-terrorism. The Centre strives to provide realistic solutions to support NATO’s defence against the evolving threat landscape while safeguarding peace and stability of its members.
