ACT Highlights How NATO Centres of Excellence Strengthen Resilience and Enable Collective Defence

ACT Highlights How NATO Centres of Excellence Strengthen Resilience and Enable Collective Defence


Date: (25-08-2026)

Today, given the security environment, the effective defence of NATO countries depends not only on military capabilities, but also on resilient institutions, infrastructure, emergency services and strong civil-military cooperation. Together, these elements determine whether an Ally can withstand disruption, support collective defence and continue functioning during crisis or conflict. The same relationships shape the Alliance’s approach to Multi-Domain Operations (MDO), which entails the orchestration of military activities across all domains, synchronised with relevant non-military activity, and it is precisely whole-of-society preparedness that makes this synchronisation possible.

Within the COEs Network, various stakeholders work across these shared civilian and military challenges, and CMDR COE is proudly one of them. Our work fully supports this whole-of-society approach in practical terms by bringing civilian and military stakeholders together to test coordination, decision-making and crisis-response mechanisms in realistic, complex scenarios.

In its article, ACT underscored that recognising a system’s vulnerability does not resolve who will respond, what information they need or how support will move between organisations. This is where CMDR COE steps in.

Among the examples of our activities highlighted by NATO ACT is the South-Eastern Europe Simulation Exercise 2025, where CMDR COE helped deliver a complex scenario centred on a major blackout affecting energy, transport, communications, healthcare, border movement and public trust. By integrating modelling and simulation capabilities, the exercise enabled participants to test information-sharing, decision-making and cross-border assistance in a demanding crisis environment. ACT also recognised CMDR COE’s contribution to NATO’s Layered Resilience efforts.

Through exercises, education and training, experimentation and expert support, CMDR COE continues to strengthen preparedness, interoperability and resilience across the Alliance, contributing directly to NATO’s ability to deter, defend and respond effectively to crises and emerging security challenges.

 

Read the full NATO ACT article: How NATO Centres of Excellence Strengthen Resilience and Enable Collective Defence - NATO's ACT

News

Successful Pilot Course On Resilience

Deliberating on resilience in military contexts - the CMDR COE and the CCOE conducted a joint pilot course on RtCP

» read more
CMDR COE Supports International GIS Day′2019

GIS Day is an annual event celebrating the technology of geographic information systems (GIS) that was initiated by spatial analytics world-leader Esri

» read more
Intensive CMDR Course Week

From 14 to 18 October 2019 the CMDR Exercise Planners Training (CMDREPT) Course was conducted 

» read more
Assembly of CMDR COE Governing Body

The 7th meeting of CMDR COE Steering Committee (CMDR COE SC) was held in Sofia. 

» read more
Cooperation Continues

Collaboration Agreement has been signed between the War Studies University Warsaw and CMDR COE

» read more
MSG-147 Prepares Limited Object Experiment (LOE3)

Preparation of the Limited Object Experiment (LOE 3) is in progress

» read more
CMDR COE Welcomes New Deputy Director

From October 7, 2019, a new Deputy Director has commenced term of service in the Centre.

» read more
CMDR COE Assisted Balkan Bridges′2019 Execution

Apparent participation of CMDR COE in the biggest multinational CAX for 2019

» read more
Agreement for Cooperation Signed

Formally collaboration with the Bulgarian Ministry of Interior

» read more
An Ambassador Visit

Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa, H.E. Mr Thabo Thage paid a visit to the Centre

» read more
Successful Course On Resident NATO-Approved Item

CMDR COE conducted its resident Crisis Response Operations Planners Professional Development (CROPPD) Course.

» read more
Planning and Conducting Disaster Relief Operations Course at SEEBRIG HQ

CMDR COE Mobile Education and Training Team (METT) successfully conducted a Planning and Conducting Disaster Relief Operations Course at South-Eastern Europe Brigade (SEEBRIG) HQ

» read more
CMDR COE in Ekiden Relay Marathon

Our team participated in the Sofia Ekiden Relay Marathon

» read more
Balkan Bridges`2019 is On Track

The Final Technical Conference (FTC) of the exercise was hosted by CMDR COE

» read more
Joining Forces for Gender Mainstreaming - A Seminar in Georgia

CMDR COE METT in David Aghmashenebeli National Defence Academy, Georgia

» read more
Strengthening Cooperation with Tennessee, USA

CMDR COE welcomed a visitor team from the Tennessee National Guard (TN NG)

» read more
Our Centre in the 2019 COE Marketplace

NATO HQ met represantatives of the 25 NATO-accredited Centres of Excelence (COEs), 15-16 July 2019 in Brussels

» read more
Quality Assurance Accreditation of CMDR COE

CMDR COE has earned Unconditional Accreditation and NATO Quality Assurance Certificate

» read more
Agreement Signed with Capacity Building International Institute, USA

Collaboration Framework Agreement was signed with the Capacity Building International Institute (Delaware, USA)

» read more
CMDR COE Concludes 7th Annual Interagency Interaction Conference

The Crisis Management and Disaster Response Centre of Excellence has concluded the 7th Annual Conference on Interagency Interaction in Crisis Management and Disaster Response on June 6, 2019 in Sofia, Bulgaria. 

» read more
CMDR COE Conducts One More Advantageous Disaster Management Course

The 2019 resident Disaster Management course was successfully conducted on the newly renovated CMDR COE premises on 13-17 May 2019, and parallel to the NATO Quality Assurance Process for the Centre.

» read more
HQ SACT Quality Assurance Experts Visit 15-16 May 2019

HQ SACT Quality Assurance Team of Experts with a 2-day visit in Sofia as a part of the Quality Assurance accreditation process of the CMDR COE

» read more
High-level Visit of the Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense

Mr. Damir Krstičević, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of Croatia visited the CMDR COE on May 3, 2019.

» read more
One Day Round Table Discussion - SFA and FFAO Development

“One Day Round Table Discussion”, over the development of the new editions of the NATO Strategic Foresight Analysis (SFA) and Framework for Future Alliance Operations (FFAO) Reports

» read more
CMDR COE conducted a resident Climate Change and Security Course

A productive and informative discussion on most pressing climate change challenges to security. 

» read more
The CMDR COE Fourth Anniversary

CMDR COE reception in the newly opened premises of the Centre

» read more
Resilience SMEs from CMDR COE Took Part in the Biggest CIMIC Exercise in 2019

MNCG conducted its biggest exercise since its establishment - DORR`19 (18-22 March 2019)


» read more
Notable CMDR Course

Notable CMDR course this year - first time attended by participants from Afghanistan, Egypt, Pakistan, Tunisia and UAE

» read more
Call for Papers - 7th CMDR COE Annual Conference

The purpose is to promote ideas in a way that will advance the common understanding as well as gain points of view that might not have been otherwise considered.

» read more
© 2026 CMDR COE. All Rights Reserved.
CLOSE