Since its establishment the United Nations Training School Ireland (UNTSI) has been the focal point of the Defence Forces effort to standardise preparation for Peace Support Operations. This has been achieved by bringing to bear the experience gained on the broadest range of Peacekeeping missions throughout the world spanning the last fifty years. Our knowledge base has been further expanded through an active programme of liaison and exchange with the many other military and civilian educational and training institutions involved in the study of international Peace Support Operations.
The process of liaison and exchange has been enhanced through the conduct of international courses that have seen students arrive at our school from fifty-six countries representing all continents. UNTSI is proud of its record, built on the experience of our soldiers and looks forward to maintaining its positions as a centre of excellence in the instruction of international Peace Support Doctrine.
Strategic Vision
The school’s establishment was a natural consequence of Defence Forces involvement with peacekeeping activities and our contribution to UN operations in particular. UNTSI’s primary focus is on the training and preparation of Irish Defence Forces personnel for participation in a wide range of Peace Support Operations (PSO). We will continue to develop studies and relationships with other interested bodies such as the International Organisations, Non Governmental Organisations and Agencies, An Garda Siochana, academic bodies and foundations with a view to honing a doctrine that will take account of the multi-dimensional aspects of modern Peace Support Operations. This will allow Ireland to prepare multi-skilled force packages tailored to undertake missions across a diverse spectrum that includes robust peacemaking, humanitarian operations, support for economic development and the provision of fundamental human rights.
Core Activities
UNTSI studies developments in peacekeeping in all its forms to develop peacekeeping doctrine and to conduct training courses and seminars on peacekeeping in order to enhance the performance of Defence Forces personnel overseas, and to assist the international training of officers for peacekeeping missions with the UN. UNTSI is tasked with carrying out the following activities:
- Pre-deployment Training and Preparation for Units and Military Observers utilising the Mission Preparation Centre set up for this specific training.
- Training of international officers for Peace Support Operations through the conduct of specific courses for international military personnel and the conduct and participation in international seminars at home and abroad.
- Developing Peace Support Operations (PSO) doctrine and training through interaction with other PSO training centres.
- Study of developments in Peace Support Operations.
- Establishment and maintenance of liaison with other Peace Training Centres.
- Contribution to the formulation of National Peacekeeping policy.
- Conduct Personal Security Awareness Training (PSAT) in partnership with Irish Aid of the Department of Foreign Affairs in providing Security Awareness and Hazardous Environmental Training (HET) for NGO volunteers of this initiative. This concept is designed to create a pool of experts in various fields who can then be readily deployed at short notice to the sites of Humanitarian disasters.
