On Monday, July 16, 2018, two courses began at the Perry Center: Defense Policy and Complex Threats (DPCT) and Cyber Policy Development (CYBER). Over 70 military and civilian officials representing 14 countries in the Western Hemisphere arrived to Washington, DC to begin their 2 week residency phases of their respective seminars. Students were welcomed by Perry Center Director, Lieutenant General (ret.) Frederick S. Rudesheim, and Dr. Scott Tollefson, Perry Center Dean of Academic Affairs.

The DPCT course examines institutional governance of the security and defense sectors in the Western Hemisphere by analyzing key defense management processes such as policy formulation and resource management within an institution. Led by Professors Alex Alemán and Dr. Alejandra Bolaños and Visiting Professors Mr. Walter Earle and Mr. Carlos Ojeda Bennett, this course encourages participants’ to think strategically and critically about their institutional environment.

The CYBER course is led by Perry Center Professor Dr. Boris Saavedra, Professor Celina Realuyo and Visiting Professors Dr. María Luisa Parraguez Kobek, Dr. Martin Treviño, and Mr. Gianncarlo Gómez. The Cyber Policy Development Course addresses the challenges of a growing dependence on cyberspace aiming to strengthen not only the fundamental understanding of cyberspace activities, but also promote the formulations of future defense strategies and policies.