New Zealand Defence College

The New Zealand Command and Staff College (NZCSC) is the premier educational institute for the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and is located at Trentham Military Camp, Upper Hutt (near Wellington). The New Zealand Command and Staff College provides professional military education to New Zealand Defence Force officers which prepares officers for command and staff appointments. The College was established at Whenuapai, near Auckland, in 1950, as a school for junior officers of the RNZAF. In 2004, the College moved to its present location in Trentham Military Camp, Upper Hutt near Wellington, New Zealand. Courses follow a modular approach that incorporate the following core subjects: Communication Skills, Operational Studies, Strategic Studies, International Relations, Command, Leadership and Management. Due to the College's close association with Massey University, it is able to offer to successful graduates of the Advanced Command and Staff Course (JOint) 150 of 180 credits towards gaining a Masters in International Security.^[1]

The NZCSC delivers military education course to all three Services of the New Zealand Defence Force. In addition to producing a professional military development framework for the NZDF and delivering various short courses in law of armed conflict (LOAC) and Joint Operations Planning Course (JOPC), the College runs three main courses. These include the Advanced Command and Staff Course (Joint), the Intermediate Command and Staff Course (Joint) and the Joint Warrant Officers Advanced Course.

The Command and Staff College

The Command and Staff College has graduated over 3000 officers since the first course was held in 1950, including many distinguished visitors from the neighbouring Asia Pacific region, New Zealand Police and Ministry of Defence. It originated as the RNZAF Staff College in Auckland, and only moved to Wellington in 2004.

Its mission is to prepare mid-career officers for command and staff appointments as well as selected senior warrant officers for strategic level posts. The mainstay of the College is the Advanced Command and Staff Course (Joint), an intensive nine-month residential programme administered in conjunction with Massey University, which provides 150 credits towards a 180 credit Masters in International Security.

The College's two shorter courses include a six-week Joint Warrant Officer Advanced Course (JWOAC) and an eight-week Intermediate Command and Staff Course (Joint) for junior officers. All CSC Courses are open to personnel from all three Services.

All three courses provide students with a broader education on the New Zealand strategic environment and security challenges; the changing nature of conflict and associated International Law; Peace Support Operations; the operational art; Foreign and Defence policy making; the roles and tasks of the New Zealand Defence Force; command, management and leadership; and international relations, amongst other subjects.

The College also contributes to New Zealand's Defence Diplomacy by visiting regional nations and hosting foreign students and visiting delegations. This includes, as resources permit, the hosting of forums and seminars on relevant issues, the publication of academic papers, contributions to journals, research and other exchanges with regional defence colleges, the provision of lecture support to other agencies, and the establishment of key linkages within the neighbouring defence and business communities.

See also

• New Zealand military ranks
• Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum
• Military history of New Zealand
• New Zealand Air Training Corps (ATC)
• Australian and New Zealand Army Corps
• QEII Army Memorial Museum at Waiouru
• New Zealand Cadet Corps
• History of New Zealand
• New Zealand Sea Cadet Corps

Notes

References

• Simons, Murray (2004). Professional Military Learning: The next generation of PME in the New Zealand Defence Force. Canberra: Air Power Development Centre. 
• Rolfe, James (1999). The Armed Forces of New Zealand. Sydney: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86448-800-X. 
• Rolfe, James (2007). Cutting their cloth: New Zealand's defence strategy. Canberra: Australian Strategic Policy Institute. ISBN 978-1-921302-10-7. 
• Simons, Murray (2010). Holistic Professional Military Development: Growing strategic artists. Palmerston North: Massey University. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to New Zealand Defence College.

• Command and Staff College website, NZDF
• Centre for Defence Studies, Massey University

Coordinates: 41°08′32″S 175°02′09″E / 41.1423°S 175.0358°E / -41.1423; 175.0358