Dr. Bahaa Helmy Writes: Nasser Military Academy, a Beacon for Developing National Awareness

Dr. Bahaa Helmy Writes: The system of the Nasser Higher Military Academy has evolved since its establishment in 1965 in line with the evolution of its competences and its growing role, whether in preparing and qualifying generations of commanders and officers of the armed forces and civilian employees to fill senior posts at the national level, or students coming from Arab and African countries, in the various military, strategic, political and social sciences, or in contributing to everything relating to military studies and the requirements of Egyptian and regional national security, and scientific research in the other fields linked to strengthening the national strategic foundations, in accordance with the provisions of Law No. 128 of 1981. This law gave the National Defense College at the Nasser Academy, alone, the right to teach and conduct scientific research in the field of planning to achieve national security and to establish national strategy in all its political, military, economic and social aspects, besides qualifying senior state employees. The Supreme Council of the Academy has adopted the general policy for study and scientific research at the Academy and works to direct and coordinate it in line with the country's needs and to facilitate the achievement of the state's national and scientific goals, including the state strategy announced by Mr. President at the start of his second term and the adoption of the idea of rebuilding the citizen in light of the targeting of the Egyptian citizen's identity and its negative repercussions on national values. The National Defense College at the Academy develops the scientific and awareness programs and courses needed to spread and develop cultural and national awareness and to entrench the spirit of loyalty and belonging among all those taking part in these programs, under the motto “Thought, Faith and Victory”. The training and teaching system at the Academy works according to clear and transparent rules and controls, whether in terms of the procedures and system for enrolling in courses, punctuality and regularity, or follow-up, evaluation of performance and periodic measurement of positive results, which wins everyone's approval and is an attraction that has led to growing demand from all bodies to enroll in these courses. Cooperation protocols have been ratified between the Academy and many ministries, universities, bodies and syndicates to refine and prepare leadership and youth cadres in all fields and in all governorates through specialized programs such as (Strategy and National Security, Crisis Management and Negotiation, Decision-Makers and others...). In light of the system of development and renaissance that the country is witnessing on various levels and in all fields at the hands of men devoted to God and the homeland, the Academy's leaders adopted in recent months a new approach to developing and integrating the educational system within the Academy, broadening the circle of thought, transferring and exchanging experience among students and raising their scientific and practical level at the hands of an elite of veteran commanders, faculty members, advisers, strategic experts and university professors. This vision also included reformulating the methods and means of teaching world issues and events with practical application through discussion and research seminars, and establishing new mechanisms based on a well-studied scientific method for linking and integrating subjects, connecting them to reality and analyzing them, to make the most of them in shaping and developing the national awareness of the trainees. This was done with the support of the Director of the Academy and thanks to the tireless efforts of the Director of the National Defense College and the specialized team, so that the Academy may continue its leading role in preparing and qualifying successive generations of future leaders in the military and civilian sectors, in implementation of the decisions of the Supreme Council of the Academy and the policy of the General Command to preserve the role of the Nasser Higher Military Academy as a beacon of military and strategic sciences and of developing national awareness in Egypt, the Middle East and Africa. The Nasser Military Academy and the National Defense College enjoy a leading regional and international standing; they are an oasis for the exchange of science and knowledge and for developing awareness of the strategic importance of Egypt and its role, and they work to strengthen the bonds of brotherhood and friendship between Egyptian and foreign students. They create a bond among the students themselves, and another bond blended with love and affection between the trainees and the Academy and the Director of the Defense College, who deals with everyone as a commander and a brother distinguished by the ability to interact with, embrace and communicate with all students in all the various training and study programs, which has had a good effect in opening a new window of communication between the armed forces and the various groups of citizens to develop their national awareness. So long live Thought, Faith and Victory for Egypt.