The impact of armed conflicts fought worldwide is increasing year after year in terms of political stability, conflict-related deaths and economic consequences. Fortunately, there are many people who support the containment, monitoring, de-escalation and post-warfare peacebuilding of such conflicts, by contributing to international peacekeeping and crisis management missions. For more than twenty years the Clingendael Academy has been organising the necessary training for these people to prepare them for their contributions through so-called 'pre-deployment' courses.

Why is Pre-Deployment Training Crucial for Crisis Management Personnel and Peacekeepers?

These professionals are expected to work in a cultural setting and society that is experiencing polarisation and animosity due to the ongoing conflict. Their job is further complicated by the multi-dimensional mandates of the missions and the challenge to work effectively across cultures within the mission itself.

As part of its aim to empower professionals with the necessary skills and knowledge, the Clingendael Academy offers a comprehensive package of pre-deployment training programmes. It has an established track-record in providing tailored pre-deployment trainings for civilian, police and military personnel since 1999. Our goal is to equip them with the expertise and insights needed to make a positive impact in their mission areas. This map published by SIPRI shows all multilateral peace operations that were active as of May 2023.

Who do we train?

Pre- deployment training started off with the Netherlands’ military contributions to the UNIFIL- UNDOF- UNTSO and USSC- missions. In 2016 this was supplemented with civilian experts of the Dutch Civilian Mission Pool, and in 2023 we started training police officers from the Dutch National Police with a dedicated programme. Some editions of the pre- deployment trainings included professionals from other countries.

Tailored Training for Diverse Participants

Clingendael pre-deployment courses typically consist of 4 to 5 days and are designed to meet the individual learning needs of the participants while adhering to EU and UN curricular standards. Whether it is military officers heading to a United Nations mission in the Middle East, or police officers preparing for a deployment in Armenia, our training adapts to their specific requirements. Some of them are region- specific, while others treat topics relevant to peacekeepers and crisis management staff in general.

All these courses are designed to provide participants with:

• An understanding of the context of the various international peacekeeping and crisis management missions: what they are and how they work;
• Skills training: conflict analysis tools, intercultural communication and international negotiations;
• Practitioners’ exchange and experience: critical reflection sessions, discussing real dilemmas and learning best practices from those who have been on missions before.

Highlights

• We are the training provider for the civilian experts who have been selected by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs as part of the Dutch “Civilian Missions Pool”
• We provide the first week of the pre-deployment training for Dutch National Police officers, in collaboration with the 'Team International Police Deployments' (TIPU). 
• For military personnel, our pre-deployment training focuses on the Middle East region, as that is the destination of the participants.

Good to know: Clingendael Academy also provides trainings to staff during deployment, under the European Union Civilian Training Initiative (see example), and previously under the European Union Police and Civilian Services Training consortium.