Recent decades have been marked by an increasing number of terrorist attacks which have necessitated the development of more efficient global security policies. Among many examples, this is well illustrated by current policies to protect the critical infrastructure.

The proposed Advanced Training Course (ATC) on the protection of critical infrastructure is closely related to the rapidly changing situation of national internal security, taking into account the rapid increase in various terror acts. It is very important to create an awareness of the safety and security challenges concerning the design of the protective elements of critical infrastructure in all NATO and Partner Countries. The main idea of the event is that specialists working in the area of technical protection will share their knowledge and expertise to ensure the safety and security of built objects belonging to the critical infrastructure in NATO and Partner Countries. Different countries have a different experience of the development and deployment of protection; that is why such courses are necessary to promote a joint and uniform effort to enhance the safety and security of protective infrastructure.

Various national legal requirements also exist, so one lecture block is dedicated to important legal aspects. The other main topics to be discussed include: the structural design and protection of critical infrastructure, new materials and material analysis, and material and construction testing at elevated impact velocities via experiment and numerical simulation. New designs for critical infrastructure elements will be shown.

An ATC event is designed to facilitate mutually beneficial cooperation between NATO and Partner Countries on issues of common interest including international efforts to meet emerging critical infrastructure security challenges as one important form of counter-terrorism.

The participants are experienced scientists and industry engineers from NATO and Partner countries actively involved in technical protection of the critical infrastructure.

We trust that this ATC NATO SPS workshop will serve as the ideal forum for all those gathered to build the knowledge, skills, and networks needed to address today's international concerns about the safety of the critical infrastructure.

We are happy it is taking place in Morocco.

Dr Ilias Majdouline

Director of The Polytechnic School of Agadir

Vice-president of Universiapolis