Inaugurated in Rome, at the Center for Advanced Studies for Defense (CASD), in the presence of the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, the 2016 / 2017 academic year for the 68 ^ Session and the 16 ^ Special Form of the Higher Education Institute for the Defense (IASD) and for the 19 ° Advanced Course of Staff General Staff (ISSMI).
"The opening of the academic year - declared the President of CASD, General Massimiliano del Casale - is the main opportunity to illustrate the guidelines of the new course in terms of study programs, methodological approach and promotion of the culture of defense and security. The main objective is to develop, promote and disseminate possible guidelines and sustainable institutional synergies for the Country System in a European and international framework of coordinated actions".
To officially open the academic year the Chief of Defense Staff, General Claudio Graziano who underlined the importance of CASD "as a high institution of training and preparation, capable of contributing to the activities and the synergistic effort towards global security, in a moment of profound change".
An educational offer that of the ever-present CASD, a central investment for the future of military organization and in general for the security of Italy and the safeguarding of national interests. The offer was also confirmed by the Minister of Defense, Roberta Pinotti, who wanted to underline how efficient and cutting-edge the programs are and how important it is to form with officers from friendly and allied countries in order to establish a future dialogue. On the other hand, as the minister recalled: "defense is a resource, the Armed Forces are a resource that we want to make available to 360 ° without the idea of invading fields that are not ours, but with the idea of helping out. With the current government, defense resources have stabilized and we have begun to reverse the trend".
The guest for the ceremony was Mauro Moretti, Leonardo's managing director, who in a lectio magistralis “A new season for European defense" he has declared: "Today in the European Union there are more pressing motivations and more promising conditions for the rapid definition and implementation of a common security and defense policy. Three key tasks: responding to external conflict crises, working with partners to build their security and military capabilities, protecting the European Union and its citizens". In order to increase competitiveness, Moretti instead affirmed the need for "guarantee to the national industry a clear and long-term reference system, able to allow it to enter into a process of consolidation at a European level in a condition of stability, with a well-defined strategy so that it can act as a protagonist".
(photo: CASD)
