Officials of the AFP Education, Training, and Doctrine Command (AFPETDC), led by its Commander, MGen Edgard A Arevalo PN (M), visited the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP) on 15 March 2021 to discuss the further advancement of education and training in the defense sector.

During the consultation, NDCP officials, faculty, and staff discussed with their AFPETDC counterparts a number of best practices and challenges in the field of defense education, especially in light of the pandemic.

Among the matters covered were linkages with local and international institutions, curriculum review, attracting and retaining instructors, selection of thesis and research topics based on a research agenda, and various learning tools and modalities.

The two parties exchanged views on the need to further tap the knowledge, expertise, and exposure of military officials trained abroad. NDCP and AFPETDC officials also shared insights about how to engage and link with other institutions in line with their respective mandates.

In his remarks, the NDCP President, Dr Archimedes H Viaje MNSA CESE, thanked the AFPETDC for soliciting the perspectives of the College on defense training and education. He also shared with General Arevalo and with the rest of the AFPETDC delegation that NDCP has a published Research Agenda 2020-2022 (uploaded in the NDCP website), a document that guides the setting of research priorities of the College. Dr Viaje also expressed openness to the conduct of further consultation with AFPETDC.