Quality Assurance Reaccreditation Visit
Date: (20-03-2025)
The Crisis Management and Disaster Response Centre of Excellence (CMDR COE) achieved its initial institutional accreditation for quality assurance in 2019. Since then, it has undertaken significant efforts to adhere to and comply with all NATO Quality Management System (QMS) standards. NATO Education and Training facilities are evaluated on a voluntary basis every six years to achieve re-accreditation for Quality Assurance.
In alignment with the NATO Allied Command Transformation (ACT) Quality Assurance Team of Experts (QA ToE) Program of Work for 2025, CMDR COE welcomed re-accreditation on-site visit on 19-20 March 2025. The primary objective of this process is to assess whether CMDR COE effectively implements NATO's QMS in the organization and delivery of its activities, as well as to ensure that its courses meet NATO Education and Individual Training (E&IT) standards.
The Team of Experts went deeply on all required standards on Leadership and Management, Education and Training, and Contribution to NATO. The CMDR COE representatives, led by the CMDR COE Quality Assurance Manager Police Chief-Commissioner Nicoleta PRIMAVARUS, professionally presented the current activities, projects and existing documents.
Following the evaluation, the QA ToE will recommend UNCONDITIONAL ACCREDITATION for CMDR COE for a six-year term, subject to the final decision of the ACT Deputy Chief of Staff Multi-Domain Force Development Directorate (DCOS MDFD). This reflects CMDR COE’s unwavering commitment to excellence in education, fostering interoperability, and enhancing the Alliance’s capabilities through high-quality training.
News
The Crisis Response Operations Planners Professional Development Course concludesThe CMDR COE organized and conducted the first five-day iteration of Crisis Response Operations Planners Professional Development Course from 26 to 30 September 2016 in Sofia, Bulgaria.
The event aimed at providing comprehensive knowledge related to NATO Crisis Management, functioning of NATO Crisis Response System with emphasis on NATO Crisis Response Planning at operational level.
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UNITED NATIONS OFFICE FOR DISASTER RISK REDUCTION TRAINING OF TRAINERS WORKSHOP FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SENDAI FRAMEWORKCrisis Management and Disaster Response Centre of Excellence (CMDR COE) devotes efforts to address the importance of understanding disaster management processes and raise awareness of the latest developments related to Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA).
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CMDR COE Runs 3-Day Advanced Research Workshop Crisis Management and Disaster Response Centre of Excellence supported by NATO SPS Program conducted from 5th to 7th July 2016 Climate Change Implications on Military Activities in the Balkans Region Workshop attended by participants from 17 nations: 10 NATO countries (ALB, BGR, GBR, GRC, HUN, NLD, POL, ROM, TUR and USA) and 7 NATO PfP countries (FYROM, BIH, BRA, UKR, MNE, GEO and SRB)
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CMDR COE Carried Out Fruitful Crisis Management and Disaster Response Interagency Interaction Annual Conference 2016CMDR COE conducted its fourth annual conference for Crisis Management and Disaster Response Interagency Interaction from 31st May to 02nd June in Marinela Hotel in Sofia, Bulgaria.
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Visit of the Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff - Admiral Evangelos ApostolakisThe Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff Admiral Evangelos Apostolakis visited the Crisis Management and Disaster Response Centre of Excellence (CMDR COE) on 1 June. He met with Director Colonel Vassil Roussinov, the Chief of Staff of the Bulgarian JFC Commodore Dimitar Yordanov, and CMDR COE Branch Chiefs.
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CMDR COE Online EventsIn the period May 31 to June 3, 2016 CMDR COE will hold two events - ANNUAL CONFERENCE INTERAGENCY INTERACTION IN CRISIS MANAGEMENT AND DISASTER RESPONSE 2016 and MSG-147 - 2ND MEETING. Both events will be broadcasted live on the Web. For those who want to join online, below are the links to the relevant events.
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CMDR COE held the Disaster Management Course from 16 to 20 May 2016 in Sofia, Bulgaria. The aim of the course involved the acquisition of basic knowledge related to disasters as a phenomenon, the disaster management process and its close relation to the risk management process, as well as the main players and mechanisms in disaster response.
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CMDR COE hosted a delegation of SEEBRIG led by Brigadier General Numan Yediyildiz, TUR-A, SEEBRIG Commander, May 16 2016The South-Eastern Europe Brigade (SEEBRIG) was established in 1999 and is currently located in Larissa. The SEEBRIG consists of six NATO and Partnership for Peace (PfP) nations: Albania, Bulgaria, FYROM, Greece, Romania, and Turkey and has a purpose to promote regional stability and security in South-Eastern Europe.
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CMDR COE for the second time hosted Partnership Realtime Information, Management and Exchange System (ePRIME) Training Course.On May 10, 2016 the Crisis Management and Disaster Response Center of Excellence (CMDR COE) for the second time hosted the Partnership Real time Information, Management and Exchange system (ePRIME) training course. This event is organized by the Cooperation and Regional Security Division, NATO HQ International Military Staff.
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The CMDR COE Mobile Education and Training Team conducted a Disaster Response Operations Course at SEEBRIG HQA Mobile Education and Training Team (METT), comprised of CMDR Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), conducted from 11 to 13 April 2016 a Disaster Response Operations Course at South-Eastern Europe Brigade (SEEBRIG) HQ, Larissa, Greece. Thirty five participants from SEEBRIG HQ – representatives from Albania, Bulgaria, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia[1], Greece, Romania, and Turkey took part and successfully completed the course.
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CMDR COE celebrates one year activation as a NATO Military BodyOne year after the decision of the North Atlantic Council (NAC) for the accreditation of the Crisis Management and Disaster Response Centre of Excellence, the Centre celebrates its activation as a NATO Military Body.
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Five-Day Crisis Management and Disaster Response NATO Selected Course ConcludesThe Crisis Management and Disaster Response Course took place from 21 to 25 March 2016 at the CMDR COE.
The aim of the course is to provide the attendees with basic knowledge to NATO Crisis Management fundamentals, NATO Crisis Response System, and its complementary elements - NATO Crisis Management Process, Civil Emergency Planning, and Operations Planning, as well as Disaster Response main actors.
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CMDR COE, HQ SACT Host 2016 COE Legal Advisors (LEGADs) Conference in SofiaHeadquarters, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (HQ SACT) in cooperation with the Crisis Management and Disaster Response Centre of Excellence (CMDR COE), successfully conducted the 2016 COE Legal Advisors (LEGADs) Conference in Sofia on 24-25 February 2016.
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CMDR COE participated in Civil Emergency Planning Work shopMinistry of Interior, supported by Civil-Emergency Planning Representative at Permanent Delegation of the Republic of Bulgaria to NATO, organized and conducted from 17 to 18 February 2016 CEP Workshop: Towards Operational, Coherent and Effective Civil Crisis Response Measures.
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LESSONS IDENTIFIED CONFERENCE FOR EADRCC EXERCISE UKRAINE 2015 TAKES PLACE IN SOFIA, BULGARIAThe Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC) in cooperation with the Crisis Management and Disaster Response Centre of Excellence (CMDR COE) conducted a Lessons Identified Conference for the EADRCC Exercise Ukraine 2015 in Sofia on 25-27 January, 2016.
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CMDR COE will lead NATO STO new group for modelling and simulationYou are cordially invited to attend and participate in the Kick - Off meeting of the NATO M&S Group 147 “M&S Support for Crisis and Disaster Management processes, and Climate Change implications”.
This event will take place on 17th and 18th March 2016 at the Arena Di Serdica Hotel in Sofia (Bulgaria).
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Implications of Climate Change and Disasters on Military Activities: Building Resiliency and Mitigating Vulnerability in the Balkan RegionCMDR COE would like to share with counterparts, collaborators and the whole crisis management and disaster response community of interest its first good news for the New 2016.
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Training Requirements Analysis Workshop Brings Together Subject Matter Experts in Lively DiscussionThe Training Requirements Analysis (TRA) workshop for the discipline Military role and tasks in Crisis Management/Disaster Relief was held on 13-14 January 2016 in Shipka Hotel in Sofia, Bulgaria. The workshop was attended by more than 20 participants from eight EU countries (AUT, BEL, GER, BUL, FIN, CYP, POL, ROM) and EU Military Training Group (EUMTG). The Working Group comprised experts from the Bulgarian National Defense College, other COEs, Defense Ministries and EU institutions.
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Second Strategic Level Course Sets Positive TrendCMDR COE has executed successfully from 1 to 3 December 2015, for the second consecutive time a course with the aim of providing Strategic Decision Makers with comprehensive knowledge of NATO Crisis Response Operations Planning.
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Excellent Feedback Received as Pilot Disaster Management Course Wrapped Up CMDR COE successfully conducted the first Disaster Management Course from 17th to 19th November 2015.
During the 3-day course participants acquired basic knowledge related to disasters as a phenomenon, the disaster management process and its close relation to the risk management process, as well as the main players and mechanisms in disaster response.
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Crisis Response Operations Planners Professional Development Course was successfully conductedCMDR COE successfully conducted for the second consecutive time the Crisis Response Operations Planners Professional Development Course from 20th to 22nd October 2015.
The aim of the course was directed at acquisition of comprehensive knowledge related to Crisis Management in NATO, functioning of NATO Crisis Response System with emphasis on NATO Crisis Response Planning at operational level.
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CMDR COE Holds Third Steering Committee MeetingOn October 14-15, 2015, the Crisis Management and Disaster Response Centre of Excellence (CMDR COE) hosted its Steering Committee Meeting for the third year.
The annual sessions are the venue where the Framework Nation and Sponsoring Nations set out all required prerequisites to be provided by the CMDR COE every year.
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Military Attaché Corps VisitThe Sofia Military Attaché Corps has paid a visit to the Crisis Management and Disaster Response COE. The attaches were familiarized with the ongoing projects objectives of the Centre and met with its staff members. Col Roussinov, CMDR COE Director presented the main activities and focused attention to their significant contribution to the enhancing of nationwide capabilities for crisis management and disaster response.
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CMDR COE Successfully Conducted Interagency Interaction Seminar The CMDR COE has carried out its third annual Interagency Interaction Seminar at Boyana Residence, Sofia, Bulgaria in the period 8-9 JUN 2015.
The keynote speakers of the seminar were Mr. Dimitar Kyumyurdzhiev – Deputy Minister of Defence, Mr. Guenter Bretschneider - Head of the CEPOS, IS, NATO HQ, RADM Chris Sadler - Reserve Deputy Director, Maritime Operations U.S. Fleet Forces Command and Col Vassil ROUSSINOV – CMDR COE Director.
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CMDR COE to Launch Third Annual Seminar and Urbanisation Experiment Final Coordination ConferenceThe CMDR COE is pleased to announce the launch of its third Interagency Interaction Seminar combined with the Urbanisation Experiment Final Coordination Conference (FCC) and Experiment Control Training Session.
The two major events are scheduled to take place at Boyana Residence, Sofia, Bulgaria in the period 8-12 JUN 2015.
The Interagency Interaction Seminar will be held over the course of two days - 8-9 JUN, 2015.
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CMDR COE hosted Partnership Realtime Information, Management and Exchange System (ePRIME) Training Course.On May 27th 2015 the Bulgarian Deputy Defence Minister, Mr. Dimitar Kyumyurdzhiev formally opened the Partnership Real time Information, Management and Exchange system (ePRIME) training course. This event is organized by the Cooperation and Regional Security Division, NATO HQ International Military Staff, led by Rear Admiral Emil Eftimov. This course is hosted by the Crisis Management and Disaster Response Center of Excellence (CMDR COE).
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CMDR COE CONDUCTED ITS FIRST COURSE AS ACCREDITED NATO BODY The Crisis Management and Disaster Response Course was successfully conducted from 19 to 21 MAY 2015 by CMDR COE.
The aim of the course was to provide the attendees with theoretical foundations of NATO Structure and Crisis Management. In addition, the teamworks allowed the participants to apply the theoretical knowledge into practice interacting with respective NATO entities.
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CMDR COE Annual Seminar Info PackageCMDR COE is pleased to announce that its third annual seminar for Crisis Management and Disaster Response Interagency Interaction will be held at the Boyana Residency, Sofia from Monday 8th June to Tuesday 09th June 2015.
Three ideas underlie this year seminar as clustered in the shape of three plenary sessions.
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CENTRE HAS EARNED STATUS AS THE 21st NATO COE AND ACTIVATION AS A NATO MILITARY BODYThe Crisis Management and Disaster Response Centre of Excellence (CMDR COE) is delighted to announce that the on 31st March the silence procedure by NAC has ended and the Centre has earned status as the 21st NATO COE and its activation as a NATO Military Body with a granted international status under Article 14 of the Paris Protocol, as recommended by HQ SACT.
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Climate Change Adaptation Seminar UnveiledAfter successful conduction of the seminar "Visualizing Implication of Climate Change on Military Activities and Relationships" in 2013, its successor "Building Resiliency and Decreasing Vulnerability through Climate Change Adaptation" was unveiled on 30 March 2015. Commodore Mihaylov, director of the Operations and Training Directorate - Bulgarian MOD, formally opened the seminar in Triaditza Hall at Grand Hotel Sofia. The event brings together flag-level representatives of governmental bodies from several NATO countries and 4 PfP nations. It is hosted again by CMDR COE and organized in partnership with the U.S. European Command.
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