MESSAGE BOARD - DECEMBER 2011

1. ADVANCED STRATEGIC ANALYSIS - SCHEDULED for APRIL 2012

An ADVANCED STRATEGIC ANALYSIS Course is scheduled for 16 - 27 April 2012.

EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST IN ATTENDING THE COURSE ARE NOW INVITED. SEE DETAILS BELOW.

A new training curriculum has been developed that focuses on providing advanced analytical development for analysts already engaged in strategic intelligence and risk analysis. It has been successfuly conducted on several occasions during 2009/2010 for the EU agency Frontex, training and challenging participants from all Member States and Frontex headquarters in Warsaw, Poland.

The course is purpose-designed to take experienced strategic analysts and expose them to higher levels of critical thinking and judgement-testing, scenario development, hypothesis validation, futures thinking and environmental scanning ... and similar challenges.

For agencies considering the desirability of providing advanced training for their strategic analysts, or for individual analysts interested in learning more, please contact the Intelligence Study Centre or the European Intelligence Centre for further details about the course content.

One important change is the PRICE ! Due to agencies all experiencing budget restrictions, we have reduced the price for this course to Euros 1350 !!!

To apply and to get further information about this new course, write to Don McDowell at donmcdowell.isc@gmail.com

2. SCHEDULE OF TRAINING COURSE FOR 2011

ISC and EIC are jointly developing the schedule of training course availability - both for Europe and globally. Some additions already appear on the Training Calendar page showing the build-up of commitments for next year.

For agencies interested in having staff attend listed courses, or wishing to negotiate with us to provide specific courses for their officers - either "open" or reserved only for their own "in-house" staff - please contact us by emailing Don McDowell at donmcdowell.isc@gmail.com us or by using this website's email facility.

3. CATALOGUE OF ALL INTELLIGENCE, RISK & ANALYSIS COURSES, SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS

ISC and EIC in conjunction with The College of Intelligence Studies has this month published its revised TRAINING CATALOGUE. This is available to client agencies and institutions on request.

Please contact us by emailing Don McDowell at donmcdowell.isc@gmail.com us or by using this website's email facility.

4. STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE REFERENCE BOOK

McDowell's award-winning text was first published in 1998 and re-printed several times, serving as the "standard" reference as a how-to book on conducting strategic intelligence research projects.

The book has been revised and was republished in 2009 by Scarecrow Press Inc. The amended ordering and citation details can be downloaded from the PUBLICATIONS page of this website. Reviews of the book praise its unique breadth of coverage and its helpful how-to style of writing. "It is a must for all strategic analysts."

A review of this book published currently (Dec 2011) on Amazon states:

Whilst studying and working on Strategic intelligence I made contact with this excellent book in the first edition and this 2010 edition has grown to still reflect best practice on strategic intelligence. The description and methodology provided by Don McDowell is second to none. For those who are starting out this is the book for you, for those with experience I'm sure you will have had contact already as you strive for best practice. The clear and concise modelling of concepts was a really great help.

And many of the suggested developments of strategic intelligence in recent years are also reflected throughout the book. A great read and a great resource.

5. CHANGES AND UPDATES TO COLLEGE WEBSITE

For those readers familiar with the website of our College of Intelligence Studies, please note that there have been changes to several courses. Visit the website to check on the various programs described.

The changes have been made to bring the College even more closely into line with education and accreditation requirements of the Australian Government.

6. WARNING - DUE DILIGENCE REQUIREMENT FOR RECRUITERS !!!

RECRUITING OFFICERS TAKE NOTE !

Applicants for vacancies can sometimes present counterfeit certification of awards, degrees and training certificates.

ISC and its associated College of Intelligence Studies will always promptly respond to requests from departments and agencies wishing to have us validate any Certificates and/or Diplomas that purport to have been issued by us.

Want to Know More?

If any of the topics mentioned here interests you, or if you simply want to learn what ISC is doing up to the minute, please contact the Intelligence Study Centre.