From July 21 to 25, 2025, the University of Defence hosted an International Acquisition Management Course in cooperation with the U.S. Embassy in Prague and the Ministry of Defence. The course was organised by the Centre for Security and Military-Strategic Studies under the auspices of the University of Defence.

The course was attended by 23 civilian and military personnel from the Ministry of Defence. Lectures and practical exercises were led by four American instructors: Kathleen Peggar, Dr. Patrick Gambrel, Marcus Green, and Gregory Pasikowski from the Institute for Security Governance in Washington. From the Czech side, the professional training was provided by the Director of the Centre, Assoc. Prof. Josef Procházka, Ph.D.

After the course on Friday, participants received graduation certificates presented by Mr. Jaroslav Belák, Head of the Concepts and Analysis Department of the Armaments and Acquisitions Division at the Ministry of Defence. Among other guests attending the course were staff from the U.S. Embassy in Prague, including LTC Oksana Grisko, Head of the Office of Defence Cooperation at the Embassy.

This five-day course focused on defence acquisitions, with an emphasis on planning and negotiating complex issues related to international defence contracts. Participants gained knowledge of key aspects of defence acquisition management, with a focus on strategies, techniques, and the characteristics of effective negotiators. The negotiation exercises allowed participants to actively engage with course topics and apply the concepts and methods discussed throughout the week to real-life scenarios. To further explore the topics, participants were also provided with foundational literature as a source of reference.

Author: Yvona Novotná, Ph.D.