Representatives from police and border police services, mostly police education experts from Albania, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Estonia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia, spent the week at the Swiss Military Mountaineering Centre, joining in the Swiss military life and participating in intensive courses and team-building activities led by DCAF and EU experts.

Through acquiring additional knowledge on contemporary learning theories, methods and practices, DCAF aims to strengthen the competences of regional trainers who conduct train-the-trainers courses in their own countries, to strengthen regional cooperation and establish a long-lasting professional network of contacts. The courses were conducted by experts focusing on modern case studies, educational methods and role-playing simulation exercises. The participants have contributed greatly to both courses with useful ideas and rich professional experience, which reconfirmed the need for developing a sustainable educational platform under the auspices of DCAF Border Security Programme, also making the Andermatt summer training camp and its renewed mission our new tradition.

DCAF has increased the awareness of team-building methods in order to contribute to more efficient police learning and building mutual trust, which leads to enhanced mutual cooperation. The courses were thus accompanied by practical team-building exercises, culminating in the final challenge – a common climbing exercise to the mountain peak of Via Ferrata under the leadership and guidance of the Swiss military. This surrounds the main mission of the Programme – strengthening our security by overcoming barriers, and aiming for higher goals with the help or enhanced mutual trust and cooperation in the future.