National security has become increasingly important in today's world, where countries face various threats, including terrorism, cyberattacks, and geopolitical tensions. With the aim of enhancing national security through strategy and planning, the AGBU Armenian Virtual College (AVC) has launched an online course called "National Security - Strategizing and Planning."
This course has been developed by a group of strategic planning experts and senior-level professionals from Armenia and the Diaspora. The course aims to help national security policy planners and strategists, decision makers, analysts of international relations, and students tackle complex national security issues. The course is co-authored by Dr. Allison Astorino-Courtois, Chief Analytics Officer and Executive Vice President at NSI, Boston, and Dr. Hriar Cabayan from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Dr. Cabayan, who is one of the main sponsors of the course development, explains, "We are trying to establish a good methodology for this very complex region of the world and try to anticipate future trends. The content is based on over 20 years of practice in Washington DC." This highlights the level of expertise and experience that has gone into the creation of this course.
The course also features contributions from other industry experts, including GIS map developer Alex Tour-Sarkissian, defense operations and planning analyst Aris Mardirossian, retired professor of Modern Armenian history and advisor to the first President of Armenia Dr. Gerard Libaridian, management consultant, certified project management professional Talar Kazanjian, and AVC Founding President, AGBU Central Board Member Dr. Yervant Zorian.
The course introduces the IRC (Interest, Resolve, Capability Framework) method for assessing multi-actor, highly uncertain, and complex national security environments. It offers interactive video lessons, quizzes, maps, and other resources to help students better understand national security concepts and their applications. Additionally, the course concludes with a pre-recorded simulation exercise that demonstrates the practical application of the tools and methods covered by the course. The simulation game was conducted with a group of subject matter experts using various scenarios to assess future pathways for Armenia and develop strategic recommendations. This practical application of the course content highlights the course's relevance to real-world scenarios and how it can help decision-makers in their planning.
In conclusion, launching this course is a significant step towards enhancing national security through strategy and planning. The level of expertise and experience that has gone into its creation, along with the practical application of the course content, highlights the course's relevance and importance in today's world. It is a good opportunity for those interested in understanding national security concepts and their application to learn from industry experts and develop their knowledge and skills in this critical area.
