APCSS Builds Regional Partnerships, Networks through Alumni

An outreach team from the Hawaii-based Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS) is in the midst of a regional trip, taking them to Japan, Brunei, and Malaysia to discuss issues of mutual concern, such as disaster management, and to strengthen ties with alumni.

The APCSS alumni, with chapters in various nations throughout the Asia-Pacific region, serve as the hub of a network of military and civilian professionals within various sectors associated with security.

These informal groups of alumni often provide a venue for professional development, as was the case, for instance, in Brunei during this current trip. There, Professor Herman “Butch” Finley, in collaboration with Brunei’s National Disaster Management Centre, had an opportunity to share his perspective on disaster management with local leaders, highlighting issues such as the importance of local communities’ involvement in disaster management.

As explained in a Brunei Times article, the event was also intended to strengthen ties between APCSS alumni by providing a venue to discuss their work professionally, as well as generate new partnerships and discussions in the area of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief – an APCSS objective for the trip.

While in Japan the team, made up of one professor and two alumni division representatives, met with alumni and also visited the Ministry of Defense to help promote participation in APCSS programs. Additonally, Professor Finley had an opportunity to discuss disaster management issues with Japan Self-Defence Forces officers.

The three-person APCSS team is currently wrapping up its outreach in Malaysia.

APCSS is a U.S. Department of Defense academic institute that addresses regional and global security issues, inviting military and civilian representatives of the U.S. and Asia-Pacific nations to its comprehensive program of executive education and conferences, both in Hawaii and throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

The Center supports PACOM's objective of developing professional and personal ties among national security establishments throughout the region.

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Leaders From 21 Nations Explore Transnational Security Cooperation at APCSS

Twenty-one senior Asia-Pacific military and civilian leaders from 21 nations completed the Transnational Security Cooperation course Aug. 14 at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS) in Honolulu.

The course is an intensive program that includes interactive seminar workshop scenarios, guest speakers, and discussions with senior U.S. Pacific Command officials. Curriculum emphasizes the impact of current and future changes in the region, as impacted by regional and global security threats.

Represented during the course were: Australia, Cambodia, China, Fiji, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, the United States, and Vietnam.

The Transnational Security Cooperation course takes place several times each year and serves as a forum for sharing perspectives on security challenges and building relationships. APCSS supports U.S. Pacific Command’s objective of developing professional and personal ties among national security establishments throughout the region.

With a non-operational mission, APCSS focuses on a multilateral and multi-dimensional approach to defining and addressing regional security issues and concerns. The most beneficial result is building relationships of trust and confidence among future leaders and decision-makers within the region.

Since opening in 1995, the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies has had representatives from 72 countries attend courses at the Center.

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APCSS Transnational Security Cooperation Course Emphasizes Collaboration

Twenty-two senior Asia-Pacific military and civilian leaders took part in the weeklong Transnational Security Cooperation course last week at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS) in Honolulu.

The course is an intensive program that includes interactive seminar workshop scenarios, guest speakers, and discussions with senior U.S. Pacific Command officials. Topics included issues such as understanding and assessing security implications of transnational threats, and economic security.

Participants included U.S. Pacific Command’s Director for Intelligence Rear Adm. Michael Rogers, and Deputy Director for Strategic Planning and Policy Brig. Gen. William Uhle.

Represented during the course were: Afghanistan, Australia, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, the Pacific Island Forum, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, the United States, and Vietnam.

The Transnational Security Cooperation course gives senior leaders from throughout Asia-Pacific an opportunity to consider, discuss, and share perspectives concerning the impact of regional and global security threats.

U.S. Pacific Command seeks bilateral and multilateral solutions with its allies and partners to meet challenges together. Through its courses, APCSS provides not only executive education, but opportunities to enhance important relationships and identify cooperative approaches to current and future security issues.

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Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies expands partnerships

Within the past several weeks, 77 Fellows representing more than 25 countries have graduated from the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS) in Honolulu.

The most recent graduates completed either a three-week course in terrorism responses on Dec. 11, or a four-week course in comprehensive crisis management on Dec. 18.

Through its many programs of courses, conferences and research—in Hawaii and throughout Asia-Pacific—APCSS supports the Pacific Command objective of strengthening and expanding relationships with allies and partners.

The Comprehensive Security Responses to Terrorism Course included 29 participants from American Samoa, Australia, Bangladesh, China, Egypt, Guam, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mozambique, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam.

The countries and the territory represented at the Comprehensive Crisis Response Management: Preventing, Preparing and Responding Course, attended by 48, were American Samoa, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Cook Island, India, Indonesia, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Micronesia, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga, the United States and Vietnam.

Since its opening in 1995, APCSS has had representatives from 72 countries and three international organizations attend the courses at the Center for a total of 3,853 alumni. The Center has also hosted or co-hosted conferences and seminars for more than 7,200 participants.

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