Latest News - Defense Security Cooperation University

5 Years of Impact at ISG!
In five years under the auspices of DSCA, and our nearly 30 years of history as a DoD Security Cooperation implementing component, ISG has grown remarkably into a pivotal force within the Department of Defense, expanding our reach with our foreign partners and continuing to innovate and implement in all aspects of Security Cooperation. 

Going forward, our primary mission remains our focus: to advance U.S. national security interests by strengthening the institutional capacity of partner and allies’ defense and security sectors.

Click here to view the ISG Turns Five Infographic.

In a compelling exploration published on Medium.com, ISG Africa Regional Program Lead Dr. Whitney Grespin and coauthor Dr. Caroline Batka, a senior military analyst at Comenius University, reflect on why the language around private actors in international security services matters. This analysis, rooted in the authors’ extensive background in security governance, underscores the pivotal role terminology plays in shaping the perception, regulation, and behavior of these actors. 
 
The article makes a compelling case for the necessity of a refined and expanded lexicon to accurately reflect and regulate the activities of these diverse groups. By highlighting the intricacies of terminology in international security, Drs. Grespin and Batka contribute significantly to the ongoing discourse on how we understand and engage with private actors in this critical field. We commend our colleague, Dr. Grespin, for her thought leadership. 

DSCU’s Institute for Security Governance recently concluded the resident course: PRINCIPLES OF DEFENSE PROCUREMENT & CONTRACTING in Monterey, California. This International Defense Acquisition Resource Management (IDARM) course provides a theoretical and practical examination of fundamental concepts and challenges associated with national and global defense contracting. 

Participants examine methodologies that ensure needs based requirements, work in groups to develop and issue requests for tender, and use reasoned decision-making in supplier selection. Critical post-award contract management considerations are also discussed. U.S. and international best practices are examined, as are challenges associated with institutionalizing efficient and effective procurement systems.

The Institute for Security Governance (ISG) recently concluded another successful Institutional Capacity Building (ICB) engagement in Tbilisi, Georgia with its Ministry of Defense (MoD) and Georgian Defense Force (GDF) counterparts. Working alongside its Georgian partners, ISG continued to support the development of a centralized Career Management capability within the GDF; conducted a workshop focused on data analytics and policy decision-making in the MoD; and supported Georgian efforts to effectively message change management and enhance organizational trust. Supporting a more effective and nimbler Georgia will not only directly impact the country’s defense and territorial deterrence capabilities but will also enhance its interoperability as an important U.S. Security Cooperation partner.

Announcing the latest ISG Heron – a quarterly newsletter highlighting our work in Security Cooperation and Institutional Capacity Building as well as the people who contribute to this important mission. 

In this issue, ISG:    

•  Spotlights a successful senior leader delegation visit to ISG & DRMI.

• Welcomes seven new outstanding Regional Advising and Functional Experts.

• Profiles the expansion of security governance in Sri Lanka. 

• Explores the pivotal role of the U.S.-Philippines Bilateral Strategic Dialog in regional security. 

• Offers a standing ovation to Africa Regional Program Lead, Dr. Whitney Grespin.

• Interviews Director Ian Wexler on his dual engagements in the Philippines.

Congratulations to the latest cohort of participants of the National Resilience for Defense & Security course. This course aims to equip participants with knowledge and skills to develop national resilience frameworks that can improve national and collective security in the face of complex threats and hazards, including large scale disasters, domestic crises, and irregular or hybrid warfare.

The course emphasized planning considerations and capabilities requirements for countering full-spectrum threats and hazards that target the civil population and critical infrastructure and services. It explored government coordination with the civil and private sectors, reflecting the interconnected and interdependent nature of defense and security requirements.