Advanced Security Cooperation (ASC) and Comprehensive Crisis Management (CCM) has been integrated into the
the new Comprehensive Security Course
Comprehensive Security Cooperation (CSC)
The five-week Comprehensive Security Cooperation (CSC) course fosters critical thinking as it exposes mid-career security practitioners from governments and other influential agencies from all over the Indo-Pacific to a diverse array of regional beliefs and perspectives. The term ‘comprehensive security’ goes beyond military defense to include the need to take into account other aspects vital to national stability, such as environmental, social, communication, and energy security. These, often transboundary issues, require cooperation with other countries, even those that are not partners. Comprehensive security emphases confidence building through preventive diplomacy, inclusion, critical infrastructure and economic security to enhance overall stability. CSC is especially useful for those working in complex security environments dealing with geopolitical powers, crises, violent extremism, and transnational maritime threats. In supportive surroundings, Fellows assess their security environments, identify threats, investigate security disruptors, and probe governance challenges as they work together to build relationships and mutual understanding, and identify resilient solutions that improve national and regional security. They apply this knowledge to action-oriented projects that strive to achieve real organizational and even national outcomes. Throughout this educationally empowering, comprehensive security program, capacity is developed in security practitioners to support the ideals of rules-based international order, and a free and open Indo-Pacific, with the expectation that we all identify how best to contribute to regional security.
- MASL: SAP0008
- Eligibility: mid- and senior-grade U.S. and international military and civilian official officials (O4-O6, GS12-GS15, and equivalents)
- Duration: 5-weeks
- Upon successful completion of this course, you will receive a Certificate and Alumni Status.
Indo-Pacific Orientation Course (IPOC)
The Indo-Pacific Orientation Course (IPOC) provides an executive education experience that prepares mid-, senior-, and executive grade security practitioners to knowledgeably engage in cooperative security efforts that build capacity to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific that recognizes the linkages between good governance, rules-based order, and security. To that end, the course is structured on five learning objectives to prepare graduates to apply their understanding of (a) the geopolitical landscape and (b) security architecture of the Indo-Pacific to include (c) the Indo-Pacific strategies of the U.S., its partners, and its competitors, (d) sub-regional security dynamics, and (e) good governance dynamics that are delivered in the security spheres of economic security, gendered security, maritime security, cybersecurity, and environmental security. Professor-led discussions on each plenary topic are immediately followed by seminars where faculty facilitate small group discussions and applied learning activities with participants. The key to the success of this course lay in its transference of cutting edge information, self-reflection, and collective critical thinking. Participants are encouraged to critically reflect on learned knowledge as they consider their assumptions and worldviews. IPOC is a one-week, 40-hour course that is offered twice a year.
Transnational Security Cooperation (TSC) for senior executives
The Transnational Security Cooperation (TSC) Course provides an educational experience that looks at a comprehensive array of transnational security threats related to geopolitical dynamics, maritime order, environmental security, resource scarcity, emerging technologies, terrorism, governance, cybersecurity, economic security, and demographic and developmental issues. This course promotes the construction and expansion of networks related to multilateral security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific among executive security practitioners representing national government agencies and regional entities. TSC is a one-week course that is offered twice a year.
- MASL: SAP0003
- Eligibility: Executive grade U.S. and international military and civilian official officials (08-09, SES, and equivalents)
- Duration: 1-week
- Upon successful completion of this course, you will receive a Certificate and Alumni Status
- Course Description
Senior Fellow Workshop (SFW) 21-1 will be held virtually from 22-24 June 2021. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this workshop is offered in lieu of a course as a security forum to study transnational security issues, and build a network of senior security professionals who can share perspectives to address collaborative policies and actions in a complex security environment. This workshop will award a certificate of completion, but will not confer alumni status.
Comprehensive Maritime Security Cooperation (CMSC)
This course is designed to enhance the capability of interagency officials from governments, militaries, regional bodies, non-governmental and international organizations to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region and to foster shared understanding to protect the rules-based international order. The course will deepen appreciation of the maritime domain and its role in national, regional and geopolitical security dynamics. Participants will enhance their recognition of the broad range of maritime stakeholders, their shared interests, and whole-of-society opportunities for security cooperation. All involved will gain knowledge, skills and networks to advance security, stability and prosperity in a free and open Indo-Pacific at the agency, national, and regional level, with the goal to advance understanding of international law, rules, and norms of behavior.
CMSC will enable appreciation of the role and uses of sea power, the key drivers of security dynamics within the Indo-Pacific and the significant maritime challenges facing the region. The course will encourage use of analytical tools, best practices, confidence-building measures, rules-based approaches and key enablers for security cooperation, risk management, and dispute resolution to comprehensively address maritime security challenges. Participants will develop professional relationships and networks of trust among a community of mid-career officials from a wide variety of militaries, civilian ministries, law enforcement agencies, regional bodies, non-governmental and international organizations addressing maritime issues across the Indo-Pacific region.
- MASL SAP0007
- Eligibility: mid- and senior-grade U.S. and international military and civilian official officials (O4-O6, GS12-GS15, and equivalents)
- Duration: 4-weeks
- Upon successful completion of this course, you will receive a Certificate and Alumni Status.
- Download Course Discription
Comprehensive Maritime Security Cooperation (CMSC) Module 21-1 will be held virtually from 14-17 June 2021. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this module is offered in lieu of a course as a maritime security forum to study regional maritime security, promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region, and foster shared understanding of the rules-based international order. This module will award a certificate of completion, but will not confer alumni status.
Comprehensive Security Responses to Terrorism Course (CSRT)
This four-week course provides focused knowledge and skills practiced at the operational and strategic level, all designed to enhance Fellow’s ability to work together to counter ideological support for and combat terrorism cooperatively for the long term. The course facilitates relationships among current and future counter-terrorism practitioners. It also helps engender trust necessary for increased information sharing and identify ways to reduce cultural obstacles to cooperation in the international struggle against terrorism.
- MASL: SAP0002
- Eligibility: mid- and senior-grade U.S. and international military and civilian official officials (O4-O6, GS12-GS15, and equivalents)
- Duration: 4-weeks
- Upon successful completion of this course, you will receive a Certificate and Alumni Status.
- Download Course Discription
The Comprehensive Security Responses to Terrorism (CSRT) module seeks to enhance Fellows’ understanding of terrorism and irregular warfare (IW) threats and responses, in order to improve their ability to analyze these problems and generate more effective solutions, utilizing a comprehensive approach. The module takes place over four days with the following themes: 1) Critical Thinking; 2) Strategic Competition and Terrorism; 3) Current/Emerging Threats and Challenges; and 4) Comprehensive Responses.
The CSRT aims to build a network of Counterterrorism (CT) and security professionals in order to help countries successfully collaborate in the fight against terrorism, insurgency and IW, thereby enhancing stability in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific (FOIP).
This module is intended to provide a forum to study CT in lieu of the full CSRT 21-1 course due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This module will further act as a bridge until the Comprehensive Security Cooperation (CSC) course is offered (beginning autumn 2021), which will feature a CT concentration option. This module will award a DKI APCSS Certificate of Completion, but will not confer alumni status.
Course Registration
Our in-resident course participants are selected by an external nomination process. Self-nominations to the Center are not accepted.
International nominations are coordinated through the U.S. Embassy Security Cooperation Offices for vetting and processing to our Center. International nominations come from allied and partner nation whole-of-government organizations to include ministries of defense, foreign affairs, and justice as well as military commands and services, coast guard, police, and other government agencies to ensure a diverse and inclusive audience.
International Organization and Non-Governmental Organizations (IO/NGO) nominations are processed through U.S. Embassy Security Cooperation Offices for vetting and processing to our Center. IO/NGO nominations are limited and formally approved well in advance. These regional participants enable broadening of representation and views in our courses.
United States nominations come from various U.S. military and government organizations. Participants are nominated by military commands and services, Department of Defense, Department of State, USAID, Department of Homeland Security, and other government agencies.
For additional information, contact the Program Recruiter at email recruiter@apcss.org and phone (808) 971-8951.
Contact Us
Course Allocations
Program Recruiter
Mr. Terry Slattery
808-971-8951
Recruiter@apcss.org
College of Security Studies Faculty, Curriculum and General Questions
ColofSecStudiesOps@apcss.org
808-971-8924
Admissions/Registration
Please go to the Admissions section to view detailed information on registration and requirements.
The Fellow’s Project
Organizational projects that are initiated at the Center and completed upon each Fellow’s return home. Each Fellow devises a project that analyzes a pertinent issue and for which he/she then offers a feasible, implementable solution.
Successful Fellow’s Project Examples:
- Improve coordination between the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Foreign Service Institute in foreign policy formulation.
- Increase civilian participation in defense strategic planning at the Ministry of Defense.
- Develop effective interagency coordination processes to respond to major natural disasters.
- Enhance ASEAN mil-mil cooperation in disaster response.
- Promotion of diversity in defense department planning.
- Develop international cooperative mechanisms to countering piracy in the Gulf of Aden.
