PTEC - Partnership Training and Education Center already for 20 years

The year 2004 was exceptional for the Armed Forces Academy of General Milan Rastislav Štefánik (SVK AFA) regarding lifelong education. The first significant fact was the establishment of Professional Military Education Center (PMEC), with the mission: "To ensure the education and training of soldiers and civilians from the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic, the Ministry of Defense of the Slovak Republic and other government agencies". The second milestone was granting of the status of PTEC (Partnership Training and Education Center) by the North Atlantic Council of NATO, which means that SVK AFA has become an official provider of education within NATO and by delivering NATO approved courses helps to enhance stability and resilience of both Allies and partners.
PTECs are nationally and multi-nationally sponsored education and training institutions which are united under a single concept that is recognized by NATO.  They play an essential role in supporting NATO’s objectives for partnership with non-member countries and are active contributors to capacity building in the defense and security domain.  SVK AFA is one of 35 PTECs and provides NATO approved and NATO listed courses for Allies and partners. This year SVK AFA has managed to certify another two courses, which means more sponsored education for partner countries.
20 years’ anniversary of those two important events was celebrated on November 29th, 2024, by handing over commemorative plagues to the invited guests. The Grand ceremony of ISOC 31 course (International Staff Officers' Course) was part of the official program.  In 2004, ISOC was the course thanks to which SVK AFA could receive the PTEC status.
The celebration was attended by the former directors of PMEC, chiefs of ISOC, respectively ICD (International Courses Department), as well as the employees of PMEC and the leadership of SVK AFA. Deputy Chief of the General Staff - Chief of Staff of General Staff of Armed Forces of Slovak Republic, Brigadier General Slavomír VERČIMÁK also came to support and speak. An important guest was defense attaché of The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland accredited to the Slovak Republic, colonel Jonathan KITSON. British, together with the Dutch, brought the ISOC course (at that time JSOC – Junior Staff Officers' Course) to Slovakia and earned the PTEC status for SVK AFA.
Celebration was also time to commemorate not only times from twenty years ago, but the entire period when PMEC provided career and professional training for the armed forces not only of the Slovak Republic, but also of many other countries. In twenty years, more than 11,000 members of the Slovak Armed Forces and 800 members from other NATO and partner countries were trained at the center.  We are proud to provide consistent high quality military education within NATO and for partners.

Photogalery: https://www.aos.sk/fotogalerie/galeria/295/centrum-vzdelavania-oslavuje-20-rokov-vzniku-29-11-2024