TENDENCIES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OFFICERS' INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE IN THE PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION WITHIN NATO MEMBER STATES (CASE STUDY OF THE BALTIC DEFENSE COLLEGE IN THE REPUBLIC OF ESTONIA)

Abstract

The article reveals the theoretical and methodological foundations of developing intercultural competence of officers within the system of professional military education in NATO member states, based on the experience of the Baltic Defence College (BALTDEFCOL) in Tartu (Estonia). Against the backdrop of the transformation of the security environment caused by russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, intercultural competence is considered an essential component of operational interoperability between officers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and NATO member states, strategic leadership, and effective multinational cooperation.

The study analyzes the content of BALTDEFCOL’s educational programs (the Joint Command and General Staff Course – JCGSC and the Higher Command Studies Course – HCSC), which integrate interdisciplinary and competence-based approaches along with reliance on prior professional experience. Particular attention is paid to the use of such forms of training as work in multicultural syndicates, crisis scenario simulations, role-playing, and participation in cultural events. These activities foster key elements of intercultural competence in students, including openness, empathy, cognitive flexibility, and adaptability. The role of the English-language learning environment is emphasized, as it facilitates communicative interaction within the cultural diversity characteristic of NATO’s strategic-level military education.

The analysis of the theoretical and methodological foundations of officers’ intercultural competence development in NATO member states highlights best practices and emerging trends, which can be adapted to meet the needs of the modern system of military professional training in higher military educational institutions. The article identifies key tendencies in the development of officers’ intercultural competence in professional military education based on the experience of BALTDEFCOL: multinational synergy in operational planning, integrative humanization of professional military education in a multilingual and multicultural environment, culture-centered strategic leadership training, and the multinationalization of the strategic educational environment.