Security Academy 2022/2023

In October 2020, European Values Centre for Security Policy (EVC) launched a practically oriented two-semester educational program – the Security Academy. The program aimed at selected master’s and doctoral students as well as recent graduates interested in security and security policy will resume in the academic year 2022/2023. 

A personalised long-term mentoring program led by experienced professionals is an important part of the academy. The syllabus encompasses study tours and visits to institutions in Brussels, Brno, Bratislava and eventually other European cities. If interested, participants will be provided assistance in searching internship suited to their thematic focus.

The program is under the auspices of: Jan Lipavsky, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, genmjr. Ing. Karel Rehka, Chief of the General Staff of the Army of the Czech Republic, Brig. Gen. Miroslav Feix, M.S., Commander of the Cybernetic and Information Warfare forces of the Army of the Czech Republic and the National Cyber and Information Security Agency.

The entire program including study tours is free of charge. Students living outside of Prague will have travel and accommodation expenses covered for all parts of the program.

The Security Academy will take place from October 2022 until May 2023 and consist of the following parts:

• Workshops on selected topics from the field of security policy lead by experienced professionals and informal meetings with notable persons from security institutions

  Two-hour workshops introducing specific topics of security policy take place in Prague once every two weeks. Preliminary dates of workshops:

  • 3.-4. 11. 2022

  • 24.-25. 11. 2022

  • 8.-9. 12. 2022

  • 16.-17. 2. 2023

  • 2.-3. 3. 2023

  • 16.-17. 3. 2023

  • 30.-31. 3. 2023

  • 13.-14. 4. 2023

  • 27.-28. 4. 2023

  • A multi-day program including workshops from Wednesday afternoon to Friday noon will take place on 19-21 October 2022 and 10-12 May 2023.

• Mentoring program

  • In October 2022, every student of the Security Academy will be paired with a mentor, an experienced professional, according to topics the student focuses on. During the course of the Security Academy, participants in cooperation with their mentors will write an analytical essay on one of the topics pertaining to security policy. The mentors work for example at the Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, at the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic or at the National Cyber and Information Security Agency. The mentors will advise participants on their future job perspectives as well.

• Study tour to Brussels

  • A three-day visit at the institutions of the EU and at NATO headquarters combined with a meeting with Czech representatives in both organisations.

• Possible internship

  • In cooperation with our partners, we will provide the participants of Security Academy with assistance to find an internship suited to their thematic focus.

What will you gain from attending the Security Academy?

• An insight into the functioning of Czech security institutions.
• Valuable experience and current knowledge about latest security challenges including international context.
• A considerably higher chance at the job market in the field of international relations and security thanks to practical insight and new contacts.
• You will become a part of the community of graduates with access to the Czech security community.
• You will get to develop your career in the field with the help of an experienced mentor – a professional in the field of Czech security policy.
• Useful contacts with top experts from the Czech Republic and abroad.
• Possibility to do an internship at one of the Czech security institutions.
• An insight into the functioning of international organizations and foreign institutions thanks to study tours.

In past years, the line-up of lecturers included among others:

• Pavel Fischer, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Czech Senate
• Věra Jourová, Vice President of the European Commission
• Jan Lipavský, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic
• Martin Povejšil, Deputy Head of the Security and Multilateral Section, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic
• Jan Havránek, Deputy Head of the Defence Policy and Strategy Section, Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic
• Tomáš Kopečný, deputy manager of industrial cooperation, Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic
• Miroslav Feix, Commander of the Security Agency and Cyber Forces Command of the Army of the Czech Republic
• Jan Jireš, chief of defence advisors to the Permanent Delegation of the Czech Republic to NATO
• Ludvík Cimburek, advisor to the Chief of General Staff of the Czech Army for Active Reserve
• Ota Šimák, Director of the Trade Policy and International Economic Organisations Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic
• Václav Bartuška, special representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for energy security
• Jan Kamínek, contact point for election observation missions, Human Rights and Transformative Policy Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic
• Tomáš Petříček, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic
• Jan Paďourek, former Deputy Director for Analysis and Foreign Relations at the Office for Foreign Relations and Information
• Daniel Bagge, strategist, Military Intelligence

First year of the Security Academy program (2020/2021) had 13 successful graduates, second year of the Security Academy program (2021/2022) had 11 successful graduates. Thanks to the program, most of them found a job in security institutions.

What do graduates themselves say about their participation in the Security Academy?

“The program definitely exceeded all my expectations in more than one way. It opened my eyes in a certain way, it helped me sort out a lot of things and last but not least, I met a lot of great people and I hope to stay in contact with them – whether it be at work or privately.”

“Thank you for the whole academy, it was a very valuable experience all-around.”

“I truly believe the Security Academy has a bright future ahead and a potential to be beneficial for many people in the future. It has been a true honour to take part in the first year of this program!”