Today the Memorandum of Understanding between the University of Rome Tor Vergata and the Abu Dhabi Police GHQ will be signed. The key topics of this important cooperation are the didactic, training and research activities on preventive and safe use of hazardous Substances.
The evolution of an increase in Safety and Security threats at an international level place remarkable focus on the improvement of the emergency systems to deal with the crisis, including those connected to ordinary and the non-conventional events (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and explosives).
In every industrial Country, there are multiple entities with specialized teams in very specific fields, but the complexity of the events requires professionals that not only have the specific know-how, but also expertise in the relevant areas.
The cooperation between our Entities has been possible thanks to the International Master courses in Protection against CBRNe (chemical-biological-Radioactive-nuclear-explosive) events run by the Faculties of Medicine and Surgery and Engineering and directed by my colleague Prof. Leonardo Palombi:
1) Ist Level Master Course in “Protection against CBRNe events” – BASE LEVEL for CBRNe FIRST RESPONDERS (120 ECTS). The course is opened to persons with a bachelor degree or equivalent title. It releases an official academic title.
2) IInd Level Master Course in “Protection against CBRNe events” – ADVANCED LEVEL for CBRNe ADVISORS of DECISION MAKERS (60 ECTS). The course is opened to persons with a master degree or equivalent title (or to the persons that have completed the Ist level Master Course). It releases an official academic title and opens to the possibility to reach Ph.D. programs.
The courses are the unique in the world to close a cooperation agreement with OPCW (Organization for the Prohibition of the Chemical Weapons) and in November 2017 the courses received the OPCW-The Hague Award 2017 as best activity in the world on safety and security. It is a worldwide prize give as a consequence of the Nobel Prize for the peace that OPCW received in 2013.
The courses are the unique in Europe to receive the status of NATO SELECTED
The CBRNe Master Courses are part of the CEPOL (European Police) framework partner for training and education.
The courses are also in formal cooperation agreement with the principal national (such us Italian Prime ministry Office, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Interior) and international entities working on CBRNe safety and Security. The cooperation with Public, Private, Military and research/University centers are almost 60 with a didactic board of more than 300 international experts and a network of more than 10000 persons. It allows this initiative to win also research grant on several programs (like H2020 a similar), to publish more than 100 papers on CBRNe topics and to create the first CBRNe book series in the world.
My University strongly believe that this cooperation with the Abu Dhabi Police is not only an occasion to let our students grow up and our experts exchange experiences and expertise but also to enforce the cooperation between Europe and Middle East.
I want to thank Major General Maktoom Ali Elsharifi for this invitation and for this opportunity, it is a pleasure sign this MoU with you.
I want also to thank Prof. Amer Hosin and the colleague of the Abu Dhabi Police for the excellent work and Prof. Leonardo Palombi and the staff of CBRNe Master courses in my University to let all this possible.
