Partnership Training and Education Centres

PTECs were originally launched in 1999 under the Partnership for Peace (PfP) initiative to develop education and training activities with Euro-Atlantic partners. In 2008, the network was broadened to include the Mediterranean Dialogue (MD) and Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI) partnership frameworks. Since 2012, the network and its activities have been open to all partner countries.

At their Berlin meeting in April 2011, NATO Foreign Ministers adopted the “Policy for a More Efficient and Flexible Partnership”. This policy reaffirmed the commitment to offer all partners “deeper political and practical engagement with the Alliance, including through support for defence education, training and capacity building, within existing resources”. It also stated NATO’s intention to provide increased support to the development and improvement of education and training capabilities in partner countries. In 2012, the NAC endorsed the Concept for Partnership Training and Education Centres, which created the PTECs network and defined their objectives.

The role of PTECs has been enhanced by NATO’s Education, Training, Exercises, and Evaluation (ETEE) Policy. Under ETEE, PTECs are supporting NATO Education and Individual Training activities by providing expertise in the subject matters of their focus, such as gender inclusion in military operations, peace support operations, and protection of civilian in armed conflicts.

As of 2025, there are currently 35 PTECs.

Partnership Training and Education Centres Commandants Conference (PTEC CC) was established by NATO in November 2000 to coordinate the work amongst the Centres and NATO. NATO School Oberammergau became the Chairperson in 2002, and HQ SACT became Co-Chairperson in 2013. The aim of PTEC CC is to integrate effort and to align PTECs with NATO’s Education and Training landscape to meet current and future requirements and to make decisions on open issues with regards to strengthening practical cooperation, considering the recommendations made by PTEC Working Group (WG).

Partnership Training and Education Centres Working Group (PTEC WG) meeting is an annual event with the aim to prepare recommendations for the Commandants of the PTECs on open issues given for the WG consideration by the previous PTEC CC.

Partnership Training and Education Centres Marketplace (PTEC MP) is a platform to allow participants to showcase and explain their education and training achievements, promote their respective Centres, and highlight the community’s cooperative efforts in the field of education and training.

• Headquarters Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (HQ SACT)

HQ SACT has the overall responsibility for the management of NATO Education and Training (E&T) and its delivery through the NATO E&T Facilities, supported by Centes of Excellence’ (COEs), PTECs’ and National Training Institutions’ activities. Effective relationships between Strategic Commands and Education and Individual Training (E&IT) Institutions are necessary in order to ensure that new ideas, procedures, tactics and lessons learned are injected into NATO’s education structure. HQ SACT also assumes the responsibility of co-chairing of the PTEC Commandants’ Conference and PTEC Working Group.

• NATO School Oberammergau (NSO)

With support from relevant NATO bodies, supports and helps further develop, as needed, a mechanism for cooperation, coordination, information exchange and sharing of lessons learned among all PTECs, including the co-chairing of the PTEC Commandants Conference and focused Working Groups. The management of the Train the Trainer (TtT) and the Instructor Exchange Program (IEP) are also the responsibility of the NATO School.

• NATO Headquarters (NATO HQ)

Within NATO HQ, the International Staff’s Operations Division, in cooperation with the International Military Staff’s Cooperative Security Division, acts as a focal point for the PTEC community and ensures that PTECs are informed about NATO’s agenda and partnership priorities. The Division is also in charge of the PTECs Marketplace – an annual event that enables PTECs to present their activities and achievements and introduce themselves to the wider NATO community. The Operations Division also leads on the recognition process of interested Centres in close cooperation with ACT and NSO.

To be formally recognised as a PTEC, a centre’s education and training activities need to fall within the scope of NATO partnership policy and support its objectives. The host country of the candidate centre then needs to submit an application, supported by Military Committee advice when necessary. The final decision is taken by the North Atlantic Council (NAC), NATO’s principal political decision-making body.

2024

Throughout the 2024, the PTEC community utilized following events for internal cooperation:

• PTEC Working Group was organized in Brasov, Romania between 29 January – 01 February. 

• PTEC Conference of Commandants took place in Oberammergau, Germany on 14-15 May.

2025

The upcoming PTEC events are planned as follows:

• PTEC Marketplace took place on 19 February in Mons, Belgium;

• PTEC Working Group took place on 20 February in Mons, Belgium;
  
• 25th Military Police Training Centre of Ukraine Recognition Process, Scoping Visit took place on 19-20 March, in Bydgoszcz, Poland;
• Military Strategic Partnership Conference will take place in Doha, Qatar from 7-10 April;
• PTEC Conference of Commandants will take place in Vienna, Austria from 2 to 5 June.