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WHO IS WHO

The Course is organised by the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna in cooperation with the 1st Tuscania Parachute Regiment of the Italian Carabinieri Corps.

SCUOLA SANT’ANNA

The Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna is a public, autonomous, special-statute university, which promotes education and research through undergraduate studies, master and PhD programmes in the fields of Social Sciences (Economics and Management, Law, Political Science), and Applied Sciences (Agricultural Research, Engineering, Medical Studies). As an educational institution dedicated to excellence, interdisciplinarity and internationalisation, the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna is currently running over 50 transnational (research) Projects, involving more than 600 international partners, universities and other research centres in more than 26 countries. The Advanced Training Department, which is committed to post-graduate training and lifelong learning, organises about 60 courses every year.

In 1995, an International Training Programme for Conflict Management (ITPCM) was founded within the Scuola. Since its establishment, the ITPCM has been addressing the training needs of international field personnel, deployed, or going to be deployed, in international operations/missions. Over the years, the ITPCM, while expanding its programmes and activities in number, scope and geographical target, has also become increasingly involved in initiatives directly targeting the nationals of countries more prone to conflict and instability. The ITPCM has delivered about 300 courses, 50% of which in Italy, the rest in foreign countries and in post-conflict settings, and has trained more than 8000 people. In these 21 years, the programme has acquired direct experience in West and the Horn of Africa, Central and South East Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, Eastern Europe and the Balkans. Whilst maintaining its field-oriented approach, the ITPCM has thus become a multidisciplinary framework for training, research, analysis, and consulting in the field of conflict management. Given the nature and the main focus of this mandate, most of the courses designed and delivered over the years have dealt with, in one way or another, security and safety issues.

The programme’s mission is, on the one hand, to enhance international and field expertise for the peaceful management of conflicts and, on the other hand, to contribute to the development of political, socio-economic and cultural strategies for a lasting peace. To this end the Scuola – through the ITPCM - offers a wide range of services to its clients: training of field personnel; project planning & implementation; programme/project evaluation; applied research and policy design.

A key feature of the Scuola’s methodological approach lies in the direct link between research and training activities. The training takes stock of the most recent research findings, critically assesses them and incorporates them in its training curricula. Among the research projects currently run by the Scuola a good number specifically addresses security and safety issues. Amongst them are: CBRN Integrated response Italy, Strengthening CBRN-response in Europe by enhancing on-site cooperation between safety and security organisations: an Italian pilot – with the financial support of the Prevention of and Fight against Crime Programme European Commission – Directorate General Home Affairs; Exoskeletons, Body Extender project, future soldiers and enhanced human physical security and performance, PRN 266 “Advanced applications in the military field of remote-operation technology” co-funded by the Directorate General of the Terrestrial Armaments of the Italian Defence Ministry; Duty of Care at EU level, implications and emerging policy trends; EvoCS, The evolving concept of security: A critical evaluation across four dimensions, co-funded by the European Union under the Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration.

All training activities are therefore designed and developed building upon policy-oriented research findings, and in synergy with the International Research Laboratory on Conflict, Development and Global Politics (CDG Laboratory) of the Scuola. Hence, a sound research and analysis process is precondition and background for all training activities. Each training is also duly evaluated and assessed, contributing, in turn, to re-orient its design and implementation in a cyclical process.


CARABINIERI CORPS

The 1st Parachute Regiment "Tuscania" is a Special Forces unit of the Italian Carabinieri and it is part of the Carabinieri Second Mobile Brigade. The Arma dei Carabinieri combines in a single profile status and duties of the Italian Armed Forces and of the Police Authority alike. Ever since its foundation in 1814 the Arma provides also training courses and facilities, for individual as well as collective preparation, ranging from basic military and police training to more specialized career coaching. The Carabinieri have been deployed in more than 50 International Missions worldwide and have gained a unique expertise about the specific safety and security challenges posed by these missions abroad. They have run, so far, more than 500 Courses on security and safety issues for civilian personnel (MOFA, NGOs; Journalists, IGOs’ officers, etc.) deployed to high and critical risk areas.

Project Leader:

Prof. Andrea de Guttry, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna
E-mail: deguttry@santannapisa.it