Defence Ministry NATO-accredited Defence School anniversary

Georgia’s Ministry of Defence, diplomatic corps and guests on Tuesday celebrated six years since the founding of the Defence Institution Building School, a Tbilisi-based institution launched as part of the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package.

Marking the anniversary of the School that received the NATO Institutional Accreditation this year, Deputy Defence Minister Grigol Giorgadze said Georgia was the “first partner country” in the Black Sea region to have a NATO-accredited educational institution, and called it “another firm step” towards the country’s integration with the alliance. 

The Ministry of Defence said school principal Tea Nikolashvili and her deputy Nikoloz Melkadze had been awarded for their “special contribution” to gaining the accreditation for the institution.

The audience was also addressed by Alexander Vinnikov, the Head of the NATO Liaison Office, Colonel Norbert Hess, the SNGP Core Team Leader, and Dutch and Slovakian diplomats. 

Founded in 2016, the DIBS received the accreditation through a “100 percent compatibility” of its activities with NATO's quality management system. The school received highest marks on  its curriculum, organisational management cycle and benefits for NATO, recognising its training of not only Georgian professionals but also those from member and partner countries.

The School works to foster professional and institutional development of the Georgian Ministry of Defence, promote a “common understanding” of security and defence policy across the Government and civil society, and enhance cooperation between Georgia’s security sector, regional countries and NATO allies.