Istanbul, Türkiye – Earlier this month, the NATO Training Technology Conference (NTTC) 2025, hosted by Allied Command Transformation (ACT) at the Maritime Security Centre of Excellence, brought together 138 participants from 29 nations. Attendees included representatives from NATO bodies, Education and Training Facilities, Centres of Excellence, and academic and industry partners.
Now in its second decade, NTTC has become NATO’s premier forum to advance digital transformation in Education, Training, Exercises, and Evaluation (ETEE). This year’s theme, Transforming Training – Digital, Distributed, and Interoperable, underscored why the event is vital: NATO and partners must remain agile, interoperable, and technologically advanced to prepare personnel for today’s and tomorrow’s security challenges.
Brigadier General Heiko Muehlmann, from NATO Headquarters’ Capability Development and Plans Directorate, Cyber and Digital Transformation Division, underscored this point, highlighting the human dimension behind technological progress:
The NATO Training Technology Conference continues to demonstrate ACT’s role as leader of the Alliance’s learning community. By aligning NATO and partner efforts, we strengthen interoperability and ensure that digital transformation in training focuses on the “people dimension” and on directly supporting NATO’s entire operational readiness.
– Brigadier General Heiko Muehlmann,
NATO Headquarters’ Capability Development and Plans Directorate,
Cyber and Digital Transformation Division
The programme featured keynote speeches, thematic panels, and breakout sessions highlighting the latest learning technologies. Discussions explored AI-enabled adaptive learning, immersive training solutions, interoperability standards, and the migration to next-generation platforms such as Moodle Workplace. Industry and academic partners showcased innovations ranging from simulation environments to data-driven performance tools, providing NATO stakeholders with concrete ideas for application.
The spirit of collaboration was echoed by NTTC 2025 Chair Cem Kumsal, from Allied Command Transformation, who emphasized the forward-looking nature of the gathering:
At NTTC 2025, we’re not just discussing the future of training, we’re building it. Together, we explore bold ideas, forge meaningful partnerships, and shape the digital evolution of defence education.
– Cem Kumsal, Allied Command Transformation
For the first time, NTTC was consolidated with the NATO Learning Technology Interoperability Group (LTIG) and the Partnership for Peace Consortium Advanced Distributed Learning (PfPC ADL) Working Group. This integration created greater synergy, with LTIG focusing on interoperability and standards testing, and PfPC ADL WG advancing responsible AI adoption and content alignment with partner nations.
By convening this broad community, ACT continues to play a central role in aligning NATO and partner efforts, strengthening interoperability, and ensuring digital transformation in training directly supports the Alliance’s operational readiness.
