United Nations Staff Officer Course (UNSOC)

This training is organised by the Command and Staff College of the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr), with the main objective of preparing staff officers for deployment in UN peace operations. In order to reflect the integrated and multidimensional nature of peace operations and to foster mutual understanding and cooperation, the course is open to civilian experts with a background in peace operations and police officers. The aim of the course is to plan and develop a peace operation with components like a political action plan, military and police concept of operations, elections, disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) as well as logistical support.

The course is UN certified.

The course language is English.

Upon completing the course, the participants will:

• Fully understand the tasks and structures of a multidimensional UN peace operation, as well as how various actors interact in planning and deployment;

• Be able to plan a UN peace operation, taking into account and in cooperation with all departments/components; and

• Be able to work in different roles in the HQs of multidimensional UN peace operations.

The training course is directed at members of the ZIF Expert Pool and external participants, who have previous experience in peace operations, preferably with the United Nations and in staff functions or at middle management. Experts with civilian, police and military background can take part.

• UN System: main organs and tasks

• Functioning of the UN Security Council

• The strategic environment of UN peace operations

• UN peace operations:, structure and components

• HQ and Force HQ: structures and chain of command

• Force generation, rules of engagement and code of conduct

• UN logistics system

• Principles for civil-military cooperation in peace operations

• Integrated analysis planning and military operational planning processes

• Medical care and planning strategies

• Media relations

• MAPEX exercise: simulation exercise over several days on planning a UN peace operation

Mission experience with the UN or another international organisations is desirable.