NATO and European Defense Policy 2100-ERASMUS-NEDP

This seminar delves into the dynamics of NATO-EU cooperation in European defense policy, highlighting how the two organizations complement each other in addressing contemporary security threats. Topics include the evolution of their partnership post-2016, shared capabilities, operational collaborations at sea, countermeasures against hybrid and cyber threats, defense planning, military mobility, and strategic communication. Special emphasis is placed on mutual threat perceptions (Russia and China), transparency issues (e.g., Cyprus), membership overlaps, and debates on strategic autonomy and global expansion.

Week Topic Activities
1 Introduction: NATO-EU Mutual Support and Strategic Importance Lecture + discussion
2 Evolution of EU-NATO Cooperation (Strategic Compass, PESCO, Joint Declarations) Group reflection on timelines
3 Shared Resources and Capabilities (European Defence Fund, Innovation Accelerators) Text analysis
4 Strength in Complementarity: Broader Security Scope and Crisis Response Student-led debate
5 Crisis Management and Peacekeeping (Operational Cooperation at Sea: Sophia, Sea Guardian) Case study
6 Cybersecurity and Hybrid Threats (Little Green Men, Helsinki COE) Documentary + reflection paper
7 Defense Capability Development (CDP, CARD, NDPP) Seminar discussion
8 Military Mobility and Strategic Communication (Action Plan 2.0, Countering Disinformation) Debate
9 Challenges: Threat Perceptions, Transparency, and Strategic Autonomy Group analysis
10 Conclusion: Future of EU-NATO Relations and Debate Session Presentations + feedback