Centres of Excellence (COEs) are nationally or multi-nationally funded institutions that train and educate leaders and specialists from NATO member and partner countries, assist in doctrine development, identify lessons learned, improve interoperability, and capabilities and test and validate concepts through experimentation. They offer recognized expertise and experience that is of benefit to the Alliance and support the transformation of NATO, while avoiding the duplication of assets, resources and capabilities already present within the NATO command structure.
As the primary hub of NATO expertise in military counter-intelligence, the NATO Counter Intelligence Centre of Excellence (NATO CI COE) aims to expand the capabilities of the Alliance and its member nations to enhance NATO counterintelligence and improve interoperability. The Centre acts as a catalyst for NATO adaptation and operations by supporting the development, promotion and implementation of new policies, concepts, strategies and doctrine.
The NATO CI COE was established in 2015 under the Paris Protocol and is located in Krakow, the capital of scenic and historical Małopolska Region. For the training and exercises purposes, the Centre utilizes a modern Slovak military training area in Lest (Training Centre Lest), which is located in southern Slovakia, about 220 km east of Bratislava and 270 km south of Krakow.
The Republic of Poland and the Slovak Republic signed the NATO Operational and Functional Memoranda of Understanding as Framework Nations in addition to Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Romania, and Slovenia as Sponsoring Nations, and Headquarters Allied Command Transformation. Additionally, France and the United States were granted observer status.
On February 22, 2017, the North Atlantic Council approved the accreditation and activation of the CI COE as a NATO Military Authority, thus granting the status of a NATO organization under the Paris Protocol (1952). The ceremonial opening of the Center took place in October 2017.
Milestones in our history:
- February 2015 – visit from NATO Allied Command Transformation;
- April / June 2015 – Founding Conferences;
- 29 September 2015 – ceremonial signing of the agreements;
- August / September 2016 – arrival of the international staff;
- 17-18 October 2016 – accreditation visit by NATO Allied Command Transformation;
- 19-20 October 2016 – first Steering Committee Meeting;
- 22 February 2017 – granted NATO accreditation by the North Atlantic Council;
- 19 October 2017 – formal opening ceremony;
- November 2017 – first CI training course conducted;
- 1 July 2019 – United States of America joins the as the 11th Sponsoring Nation;
- October 2021 – first training course executed in a newly constructed, dedicated building at MTC Lešť, Slovakia;
- June 2022 - awarding with the Quality Assurance Accreditation as a NATO-approved Education and Training Facility (ETF) by HQ SACT;
- September 2022 – opening of second secure building for education, training, and conferences in Kraków;
- February 2023 - SACT appointed the NATO CI COE as the Department Head for Counterintelligence Education and Training.
NATO CI COE will unify doctrine, integrate best practices, and serve as a hub for expertise enabling NATO forces to achieve the highest levels of interoperability and integration of counter-intelligence forces in support of strategic objectives. The centre’s Programme of Work includes major projects and events concerning concept development, doctrine, training and lessons learned, with the aim of contributing expertise to the transformation of the Alliance and increasing the awareness within NATO.
View the NATO COEs CATALOGUE 2023 published by NATO ACT
More information about COE concept in NATO - LINK
