Interdisciplinary Education and Training on Hybrid Warfare

Interdisciplinary Education and Training on Hybrid Warfare

Background
Security challenges have the potential to undermine the security of the European Union (EU) and the very values that underpin and inspire its societies. The EU must be committed to address these challenges with all available means to support improved awareness, strengthen resilience and build the required capacity.
Citizens need to have a clear understanding of the risks and threats affecting the security, resilience and sustainability of their societies, including the smaller and larger communities to which they belong.
The term Hybrid Warfare (HW) first appeared in 2005. The concept of hybrid warfare subsequently evolved to cover a multitude of actors, strategies and actions.
Overcoming a uniquely military-centred point of view is at the core of HW as it takes advantage of the disunity within organisations of political entities and from the absence of a hegemon in international relations.
Our geographically diverse partnership recognises the responsibility of higher education institutions in contributing to stable societies.
The aim of the project is to provide a conceptual framework for a better understanding of current and most likely future conflicts to a variety of key national stakeholders, ranging from government to civic society. This requires a comprehensive academic and professional curriculum aimed at enhancing situational and contextual awareness and in particular, the anticipated consequences of such conflicts.
The project accords with the clear requirement of the security studies institutions to become more familiar with the complexities associated with HW and to initiate a consolidated familiarisation with a refined appreciation of the disparate risks associated with HW.
In terms of foreign and defence policy postures and capabilities, it is essential for EU members to foster a culture of common appreciation,, allowing for a wider understanding and dissemination of knowledge and to support the crafting of common responses to HW. The failure to address issues ranging from definitions and lexicon to the mechanics of force or policy posture can be detrimental to EU members’ ability to work collaboratively, especially in periods of high tension and crisis.
The intention behind the development of the project is to provide common lecture material for civilian, police and military higher education institutions to address a significant number of issues associated with the policy and operations of most forms of HW.
Students will gain:
-a better appreciation of how HW impacts today’s modern military forces, in terms of doctrine, force structure, armaments, operations, command and control and training. They will acquire an insight into the non-military aspects of HW, ranging from information and cyberattacks on critical network infrastructure to the nexus of public health and national security in response to the malicious use of life sciences and artificial intelligence.
-a more nuanced understanding of how some HW acts intend to destabilise communities and society, from the instigation of alternative news narratives to inciting community violence and criminality.
-a deeper understanding of the decision-making process generated by HW across a myriad of sectors. They will benefit from immersion in risk analysis, pursue crisis management case studies to better appreciate the likely impact on their equities and take advantage of simulation exercises to reinforce the contextual and situational awareness.
The developed Hybrid Warfare curriculum, methodology and MOOC will allow blended (physical and virtual) learning methods for accredited university classes, but also allows for mass online learning, thus reaching a much wider audience.

Objectives
At the core of the proposed project is the development of a Hybrid Warfare Reference Curriculum (HWRC), which will form the basis for either the partial or entire re-design and update of courses within the curriculum of military, police and civilian students of higher education institutions.
HWRC as a document will reflect the combined knowledge of a multinational team of academics and policy experts drawn from European universities and think tanks. HWRC will come as the result of close cooperation between the partners and motivate others interested to participate. The intention behind the project is to draw experts from nations across the EU, as well as from other partner institutions providing teaching and research activities in Hybrid Warfare, who can successfully contribute to the writing, drafting, and editing of the HWRC.
HWRC will serve as a reference, an initial document for individuals or organisations looking to develop a curriculum dedicated to combating HW, or to amend their existing curricula accordingly. Thus, the content of HWRC is not intended to be adopted lockstep, but rather to fit particular needs and aspirations. Its function is to increase intellectual interoperability and foster in-depth and specific academic knowledge and professionalism.
HWRC can also support interested partners in enhancing their capacities to develop their national skills and improve suitable strategies to counter or wage this sort of warfare. HWRC will also serve as a fundamental document to address educational institution requirements and provide helpful guidelines for relevant courses on security and defence.
HWRC, among others, will provide an overview of underlying ideologies, motivations and methods, as well as contemporary practices and projections of future potential.
HWRC will contribute to European and Transatlantic cooperation in security-related issues through education by offering students, professors, researchers, policy experts and the interested public a new international and interdisciplinary platform of study, and also a foundation for cutting-edge, practice-oriented knowledge. HWRC will also serve as a basis for those who intend to implement tailored versions of the curriculum for their distance-learning or residential courses.
HWRC will contribute to a student-centric environment too, as it will help train students to better understand the complex challenges posed by HW and to respond better to it. HWRC will promote critical thinking and a thorough understanding of European core values and interests. This important pedagogical objective will be fostered through participatory structures and transformative education.
To reach the goals set above and to exploit the synergies created by the participating institutions, the intention is to create the different but interrelated chapters of the HWRC incrementally. This approach will help to further develop these chapters into a book format, thus forming the basis of a modular system resulting in various single or joint degree courses at a later stage.
HWRC will contribute to a series of online and blended modules with a focus on selected security and defence issues, involving a participative and extensive simulation exercise / wargame moderated by a trained staff. All recipients of HWRC, irrespective of their previous background and knowledge, will benefit from a range of delivery methods including:
• a combination of presentations, tutorials, case study analysis and simulation exercise / Tabletop exercise and Simulation Suite,
• cross-fertilisation of international lecturing staff within the consortium footprint and access to respected professional guest speakers,
• the development of thematic research groups within the consortium community through virtual learning and communication platforms
• a massive open online course (HWMOOC) to reach a much wider audience.

Activities
To achieve the aims of the Hybrid Warfare Project, the partners will develop 3 project results (PRs), test the first two via 2 learning/teaching/training activities (LTTs) and promote the project and its results via 6 multiplier events (Es). Activities will be achieved with leadership/co-leadership according to participants’ expertise, in close collaboration with all other partners, to ensure high quality standards and balanced participation to exploit synergies.
PR1) Hybrid Warfare Reference Curriculum (M1-22, LUDOVIKA+ALL)
PR2) Teaching methodology for the education, training and simulation of Hybrid Warfare (M9-28, UNITORINO+ALL)
PR3) Hybrid Warfare MOOC (M15-36, BIU+ALL)
Spinoff 1) Developing recommendations on Gender Perspectives and Military Effectiveness: Drawing from the skills and experience of LFA and BIU, an exchange of ideas and best practices will take place and be summarised in the form of policy recommendations
Spinoff 2) HWRC-Light: An abbreviated version of the HWRC with relevant methodology will be designed for secondary school students to raise their awareness of hybrid threats relevant to them
LTT 1) Pilot testing of the Hybrid Warfare Reference Curriculum (HWRC) and Teaching Methodology for a university course on Hybrid Warfare – blended workshop for students and teachers (M21, BIU)
LTT 2) Beta testing of the complete course design including the MOOC, the blended elements and the reference curriculum – blended short study programme for students with simulation exercises (M27, AFA)
E1-E5 – 5 multiplier events will be organised called Hybrid Warfare Project Info Days (M19, ALL), with the aim to generate debate on the topic, have stakeholder inputs and to promote project results. Info Days will also launch the application procedures for students to take part in the LTTs.
E6 – Closing event - Final Conference - Multiplier event - Dissemination event (M35; UNITORINO + ALL)
A Gantt chart showing the timetable details for all outputs and main activities is attached to this application.
Project Results will build upon each other, with PR1 forming the content basis for the whole programme, PR2 creating the methodological framework for teaching and training in a blended manner and PR3 completing the outputs with widely and openly accessible tools.
LTT1 shall validate the content of the curriculum, test some of the newly planned innovative methodology and help fine-tune and finalise the HWRC.
LTT2 shall validate the methodology in a very practical manner, aided by the use of AFA’s simulation centre
6 TPMs and biweekly project meetings will be organised to ensure continuous management of the academic and administrative work in the project, to support the development of the PRs, to ensure continuous monitoring, to give a platform to resolve outstanding questions and issues and to mitigate conflicts. When possible TPMs are concurrent with other events to ensure cost-effectiveness.
A promotion/dissemination strategy will be implemented to have the highest impact.
A project website and online platform will be set up for promotional activities and to support the blended/online activities of the PRs.
A comprehensive project management guidebook and tools will be set up, including a continuously updated detailed work plan and task chart.
Rigorous financial management and control procedure will be implemented.
Students will be involved in the implementation of the project not only as end users but also in its development and management.
The necessary communication channels will be set up to make communication prompt, effective, traceable and to avoid redundancies.

Impact
The main outcome of the project is to design an innovative educational material on Hybrid Warfare, called Hybrid Warfare Reference Curriculum (HWRC), complemented by an innovative teaching methodology and a MOOC, to attain highest impact. The goal is to
-produce the 3 project results (see below)
-test the 3PRs via a Workshop and a Winter Seminar (2 LTTs)
-launch the HWRC as an accredited elective in the partner universities (as of spring 2024), taught by an international teaching staff
-launch the MOOC (in May 2024)
-make PRs widely available
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Project Results:
PR1) Hybrid Warfare Reference Curriculum (HWRC): with the core content on the following topics: Overview and Definition, Geopolitical Context, Ideologies and Motivations, Operational Environment, Strategies to Counter Hybrid Threats, Risk Analysis, Hybrid Diplomacy in a Changing World, Russia, China, The Role of Proxies, Consequences for EU and MS’ Political Systems, The Role of the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats, Weapons of Mass Destruction, Malicious Biosecurity Risks, Emerging Technologies on HW, Diplomacy for Countering Violent Extremism & Radicalisation , Unconventional Hybrid Diplomacy: Fake News, Lawfare, Legitimacy Boycotting and Foreign Electoral Intervention.
PR2) Teaching methodology for the education, training and simulation of Hybrid Warfare: A guidebook complementing the HWRC with a variety of tools and methodologies.
PR3) Hybrid Warfare MOOC: Consisting of a series of online and blended modules based on the HWRC and the methodology developed in PR1 and PR2
Spinoff 1) Recommendations on Military Gender Studies: drawing from the skills and experience of LFA and BIU, an exchange of ideas and best practices will take place and be summarised in the form of policy recommendations
Spinoff 2) HWRC-Light: An abbreviated version of the HWRC with relevant methodology will be designed for secondary school students to raise their awareness of hybrid threats relevant to them
LTT1) Pilot testing of the Hybrid Warfare Reference Curriculum (HWRC) and Teaching Methodology for a university course on Hybrid Warfare – blended workshop for students and teachers
LTT2) Beta testing of the complete course design including the MOOC, the blended elements and the reference curriculum – blended short study programme for students with simulation exercises
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-The course will appear as accredited electives in the participating universities’ curricula as of the spring semester 2023/2024, and available as a Massive Open Online Courses as of May 2024.
-A HWRC Online Platform and website will be set up, aiming to offer an interactive resource for promoting remote learning, making all PRs widely available as Open Educational Resources (OER) and help dissemination. It will raise national and European awareness of the project.
-The project’s learning resources and outputs: a) will be designed in a targeted, bespoke manner, b) will be open and c) will overcome geographic, social and cultural barriers and remain available after the end of the project's life cycle.
-A series of multiplier and dissemination events including several types of stakeholders outside of the academic world (local authorities and representatives, citizens, media) will be organised. Secondary school teachers will participate in these events.
-Project activities and results will be disseminated to more than 2000 persons/organisations.
-5 Info Days will be held, attracting at least 200 persons.
-A final conference will be held in Torino, attracting at least 50 persons.
-A coherent sustainability strategy will be developed beside the dissemination strategy, to reach the target audience both during and after the project's duration.
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PRs will be available following the project end by:
-The regular maintenance and update of the Online Platform and related social media;
-Expanding the platform content to more EU languages through relevant ICT tools;
-Continuation of research and publications.

The Partners:

NEMZETI KOZSZOLGALATI EGYETEM, Hungary - Coordinator

Academia Fortelor Terestre "Nicolae Balcescu", Romania
AKADEMIA OZBROJENYCH SIL GENERALA MILANA RASTISLAVA STEFANIKA, Slovakia
BAR ILAN UNIVERSITY, Israel
The Centre for the Study of New Security Challenges Ltd, United Kingdom
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI TORINO, Italy