Courses open for application

23 to 27 February 2026 in Brussels, Belgium  - apply until 25 January 2026

Please refer to the official invitation letter and annexes - red button on the right - for all details.

Applicants from EU Member States and EU structures are kindly requested to register directly over the ENLIST System

Non-EU applicants can send their CV with a motivation email to gyoeroeg@ac4p.at Susanne J. Györög, Austrian Centre for Peace (ACP)

The course can accept 30 participants.

Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to register/apply!

Updated POC Course 2026: A New Focus on Hybrid Threats, Urban Conflict Settings, Climate and Security

In view of the recent developments regarding increasing challenges to protect civilians in conflicts, the course has been updated accordingly in the course of 2025 so as to include additional crosscutting topics, namely climate and security, hybrid threats and provides more focus on current conflict contexts, for example urban settings.

The overall course objective is to enable graduates to improve their understanding of the various mandates of operating actors in protection of civilians, identify options for coordinated and joint actions and measures for a more effective protection of civilians in conflict zones.  

Target group

The course targets mid to senior level experts of

• armed forces (from rank of Major/OF-3 and above),
• police (equivalent senior police officers and above),
• civilian experts from international organisations (P3 level or equivalent and above), and
• non-governmental institutions, including civil society organizations (mid to senior level management positions)

who are working with or in the context of missions and operations, or in complex emergencies requiring the protection of civilians. 

Methodology

The course includes theory inputs provided by institutional and subject matter experts, but in the overall focuses on interactive learning, supported by a scenario exercise which is set in a complex environment and portrays various contexts (e.g. urban and rural settings, situations in developing countries, various stages of conflicts etc.), while remaining entirely fictional. However, it is inspired by the dynamics of current conflicts to ensure the widest possible relevance.

The trainer team is led by the Austrian MoD and ACP experts and includes international subject matter experts with civilian, police and military background, reflecting the multidimensional approach in the POC Policy.

Further Information on conditions and costs for participation:

invitation, ADMINISTRATIVE INFO & tentative programme 

In Cooperation with

Überblick ESDC Trainings