The NATO Communications and Information Systems School, (NCISS), is the School that provides formal technical training for NATO on certain Communication and information Systems (CIS) deployed on operations or exercises by the Alliance. NCISS operates as a training establishment for both NATO Strategic Commands and since 2004 it is responsible to the NATO CIS Services Agency (NCSA), in consultation with Allied Command Transformation (ACT).
Contents
The NCISS is due to be transferred from its present location in Latina, Italy to Oeiras, Portugal.
School organization
Mission
Within the Systems Approach to Training Methodology conduct Course Design and Development and Internal Evaluation for those courses assigned to and delivered by NCISS and, when requested by ACT (JET) or NCSA HQ, provide assistance with the External Evaluation process Contribute professional expertise to NATO projects and related training matters.
Training
In accordance with NATO mission and NCSA guiding principles and in the framework of NATO System Approach to Training methodology, the School today delivers cost-effective advanced formal training to military and civilian personnel from the NATO Nations and PfP/MD/ICI to obtain efficient operations and maintenance of NATO Communications and Information Systems training on NATO CIS.
Additionally, it conducts orientation courses and management training on NATO CIS for selected (Staff) personnel and contributes with its professional expertise to NATO projects for training related matters. Recently, with the introduction of e-learning methodology, the School has also expanded the way training is delivered, associating the newly born Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) to the traditional theoretical training in the classrooms and the practical hands-on in the laboratories, which is the added value of the School. Furthermore, even more requested is the off-site training, especially in Theatre of Operations, and the training on deployable, transportable and scalable systems, that is unavoidably the most flexible and efficient answer for the future of NATO operations.
The courses, covering both static systems and deployable communications equipment, are subject to continuous development and improvement to meet the new tasks assigned to NATO in Out-of-Area contingency operations, with emphasis on mobility and interfacing with national defence networks.
Training in Latina, using state-of-the art systems employing advanced techniques, and the professionalism of its instructors have also granted recognition to the School as an accredited CISCO Academy. Furthermore, NCISS is frequently available as a forum for important meetings and seminars, to increase knowledge and share experience.
NCISS’s offers more than 90 different courses and over 370 sessions are scheduled. The courses, of various duration up to 6 weeks, range from the Communication area (SATCOM, DLOS, COM Systems, BME/NCN, Video Tele Conferencing, etc.), to the Information Systems (Functional Area Sub-Systems, MCCIS, AIFS, Geo-spatial IS, WISE, etc.), and the Security on Communications/AIS (Compusec, Information Assurance, Crypto, PTC, Cyber Defense, etc.) or simply on specific equipment (Fiber Optics, Crypto Devices, HF Radios, etc.) or even tailored on particular requirements (e.g. Frequency Management for Theatre of Operations, etc.).
The School response to NATO exercises and especially to SFOR, KFOR and ISAF operations, some of which even with short notice, was decisive for the deployment of qualified technicians and engineers in the new Theatres of Operation. Consequently, the overall student throughput is in continuous increase by a factor of about 15-20% a year.
School motto
The NCISS motto is "Sapére Aude" which is Latin for “dare to know”.