"Introduction to the Planning of Joint Operations" – IPJO was held for the thirteenth time at the International Courses Department of the Armed Forces Academy from 27th to 31st of January 2025. IPJO is NATO approved course, to which senior officers from NATO partner countries are regularly sent as students. This time, two representatives from Armenia, in the ranks of colonel and lieutenant colonel, one colonel from Tunisia, as well as lieutenant colonel from Switzerland, participated. The course was also attended by four lieutenant colonels from the Polish Armed Forces, who also brought with them a well-founded instructor, who was not only a support in leading the syndicate work but also contributed with several expert lectures. Ten officers from the Slovak Armed Forces also came to broaden their knowledge and professional education in the field of planning at the operational level.

The aim of this short-term course was to familiarize participants with NATO doctrines and procedures and to prepare them for the NATO planning process. The graduates of the course have gained the knowledge which enables them to work within the Joint Operational Planning Group at the International Headquarters and to prepare operational plans that include all relevant factors for effective and successful execution of joint NATO operations and help to implement the planning processes in practice.

Vice-Rector for Education, Col. Assoc. prof. Michal Turčaník handed over the certificates to all 18 successful participants of the IPJO 13 course at the graduation ceremony, which was open by the speech of the Director of the Professional Military Education Centre (PMEC) of the SVK AFA, Col. Roman Kráľ, who pointed out that "The IPJO course is one of the key courses offered by the SVK AFA, which helps to fulfil the three core tasks of the NATO Strategic Concept - deterrence and defence, crisis prevention and management, and cooperative security".