Launching the National Security Studies Seminar
March 24, 2026 - Defence Stories
Estimated read time – 1:30
The Canadian Defence Academy is pleased to announce the launch of the National Security Studies Seminar (NSSS). NSSS is a renewal of the Canadian Security Studies Program previously offered through the Canadian Forces College until 2021. It will provide a problem-based, practitioner-focused professional development opportunity for members of the Defence Team at the EX-01 and minus-one, LCol/Cdr-Col/Capt(N), and CWO/CPO1 levels. Representatives from other government departments and selected allied international participants are also invited to attend.
Enabled by expert lectures and practitioner facilitators, the NSSS will examine where participants and their organizations fit within Canada’s broader national security architecture and why building security resilience is increasingly important. Through an exploration of Canada’s security governance, strategic environment, and evolving threat landscape, the seminar situates relevant organizations as both security instruments and critical partners. This is a complex, multi-actor ecosystem that includes intelligence, public safety, diplomacy, economic, and societal domains. Participants will develop a shared understanding of how institutional architectures are increasingly challenged by uncertainty, complexity, cross-domain risk, and legitimacy, and why adaptive and resilient approaches are essential to safeguarding Canada’s sovereignty, democratic institutions, and prosperity. The seminar aims to expand professional knowledge to think laterally across the security community while acting linearly within established roles, authorities, and responsibilities.
The Seminar will be delivered in a blended learning format beginning on April 28 with 1 day per week over 5 weeks of virtual learning, followed by 4 consecutive days of in-person learning during the week of June 1, 2026, at the University of Ottawa.
Participants will require a nomination to ensure the cohort is comprised of learners who can actively engage with the material and add their relevant experience and expertise to help achieve the goal of building shared awareness and understanding. CAF Officer nominations must be made through respective L1 organizations, and CPO1/CWO through Director of Senior Appointments. DND civilian EX nominations must be submitted to ADM(HR-Civ) Civilian Executive Services and non-EX nominations to the ADM(HR-Civ) Workforce Performance and Development OPI. The deadline for nominations is April 3, 2026.
Questions may be directed to nsss-sesn@forces.gc.ca.