"Achieving this certification confirms that the NCI Academy delivers high quality education and individual training solutions to the Alliance," said Dr Garry Hargreaves, NCI Academy Director.
To achieve this accreditation, a NATO education and training facility must demonstrate the existence of an effective quality management system, and provide evidence of the facility's contribution to NATO. During the visit, the NCI Academy demonstrated it meets the NATO's 31 quality standards, which are focused on assessing an institution's leadership, education and training services and its contribution to NATO.
During the visit, the Quality Assurance team conducted a series of open discussions and interviews with relevant staff members and toured the facilities. The visit also allowed the team to identify several best practices, which they intend to share with the wider community of education and training facilities.
ACT's team of experts found the Academy to be a "highly professional and passionate organization with strong leadership and staff participation that lives, embraces and epitomizes their mission and vision…a living, vibrant and improving organism."
The next step in the process is the decision to accredit the facility.
"If successful, the NCI Academy will remain an unconditionally accredited education and training facility, achieving an important step forward in reaching its final operational capability," the NCI Academy Director said.
About the NCI Academy: The NCI Academy delivers training on NATO systems that support operations and exercises. Operators trained in the Academy will go on to maintain NATO's IT and communications systems, as well as its ballistic missile and cyber defences. Click here for more on the Academy.