On September 5, 17 students from Brazil, Colombia, Spain, El Salvador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, and Peru started the residential phase of the Advanced Course on Terrorism and Counterinsurgency (TCI) at CHDS in Washington, DC. The course is taught by Professor Alejandro Arbeláez and General Carlos Ospina.

CHDS Director Dr. Richard Downie welcomed the course participants and spoke about the importance of finding the appropriate mechanisms and policies that can allow us to collaboratively confront terrorism and insurgency. The TCI course lasts 14 weeks in total and is composed of 3 phases (distance phase, in-person phase, and research phase). Prior to the current in-residence phase, the participants successfully completed the distance phase, which utilized information technology and, in particular, video conferencing.

The residential phase will last three weeks (September 5–21), during which course participants will take part in CHDS professor-led conferences, roundtable discussions, and informational presentations of case studies. Upon their return to their respective countries after the end of the in-person phase, the participants will begin the eight-week research phase, which culminates in a final paper. The research paper will be drawn from discussions, presentations, and personal analysis and will address a timely and relevant issue related to terrorism or insurgency in the region.