PhD defence Steven Hornstra

Keywords: Officer education, Military training, Instructional design, Military design thinking

"Fostering officer competence: A multi-faceted study of military training, academic education and design thinking-based innovation in officer development"

This dissertation explores how military officers can be better prepared for the challenges of today, against the backdrop of changing geopolitical and military developments. A key premise of the research is that military and medical education can learn a great deal from each other, as both fields operate in complex, dynamic and high risk environments where knowledge and practical skills must be combined. The study consists of three parts. The first examines how academic education for (future) officers can be designed to reflect the complexity of modern military operations. The second part focuses on better integrating military training and academic education, which come together in practice but are often taught separately in officer education. Finally, the dissertation shows how the shift in emphasis from peacekeeping missions to territorial defense places new demands on NATO officers, and how innovative training programs can help prepare them for these responsibilities.

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