Introduction

All participants in DKI APCSS long courses complete a Project, a demonstration of expertise, in which they put their knowledge, skills and new learning into practice. Fellows collaborate and network with peers, faculty and experts as they build relationships and mutual understanding. The process of sharing perspectives on local, national, and regional security opportunities naturally strengthens collegial networks and conveys a deeper understanding of the ideals of rules-based order and a free and open Indo-Pacific. Bringing their considerable experience to bear, fellows research their topic to become more situationally aware, analyze it to generate viable options, and employ critical thinking as they develop practical recommendations.

Objectives

  • Expand capacity for critical thinking
  • Practice querying, dialogue, cooperation, and connecting with key stakeholders
  • Hone inquiry skills for future work
  • Produce outcomes of real-world value

Types of Projects

Fellows focus on a challenge specific to a policy, program, process, or practice and seek to improve it through one of the following ten approaches. Most fellows work individually, but groups (cohorts) may work on a project together if they have been preselected by the country embassy and DKI APCSS. * If your country wishes to send a team to work on a Cohort Project, inform the US Embassy, the DKI APCSS Recruiter (recruiter@apcss.com), and the ALP Program Lead (alp@apcss.dsca.mil).
  1. Insight: Analyze, identify gaps and opportunities, and recommend improvements
  2. Innovation: Research a specific problem or issue and recommend a new solution
  3. Impact: Evaluate the effectiveness, assess impact, and recommend improvements
  4. Feasibility: Analyze costs, benefits, stakeholders, risks, and challenges and recommend improvements
  5. Comparison: Compare across agencies, countries, etc., and recommend best practices
  6. Strategy: Develop a strategic action plan to implement a specific policy or program, including timelines, performance metrics, and resource requirements
  7. Perception: Survey opinions, analyze the results, and recommend improvement for policy makers
  8. Mitigation: Identify potential risks and challenges, develop a risk management plan to mitigate those risks
  9. Optimization: Conduct a cost-benefit analysis on tangible and intangible items and recommend optimizations
  10. Promotion: Develop a communication strategy with key messages, target audiences, and channels

Project Phases

Fellows Project Cohort Projects

Before Course

 Attend APCSS virtual meetings. Consult your leadership to select a security topic that will benefit your agency Attend APCSS virtual meetings.

Government agency, U.S. Embassy and DKI-APCSS agree on a topic and pick a team of 3-6 fellows
Topic must be a security-related opportunity or challenge
Well-known to you
Important to your workplace, organization, or state
Possible to resolve/improve
Non-classified
Adequate resources exist
During Course Individual study with presentations to other fellows Group study Presentations to Leadership and Seminar
After Course Fellows execute their recommendations or plan
Fellows attend virtual status sessions at 2, 6, 10 mth
Fellows report on completion		 Cohort implements project
Cohort receives mentoring as required
Cohort reports on completion

An Inquiry-Based Approach

Fellows approach their project using an inquiry-based approach that is driven by questions. It may adopt a more traditional, problem-solving method, or it may use the more positive, appreciative inquiry method.

Latest News and Guest Speakers

Mr. Krishna Bahadur Raut Receives the 2021 ‘Alumni of the Year’ award

DKI APCSS recognized Raut’s contributions as an alumnus who significantly improved the peace and security within his country of Nepal and in the Indo-Pacific Region.  Raut’s Fellows Project resulted in seven new provincial emergency operation centers. He drafted eight of the fifteen laws required to support the expansion of the EOCs. He also played an instrumental role in passing significant policies that included the Disaster Management Act, Risk Reduction Policy, and the National Strategic Action Plan.

Alumnus Dr. Novil Wijesekara speaks at the Comprehensive Security Cooperation 22-1

As part of his participation in CMC, Dr. Wijesekara began implementing a Fellows Project titled, “Build the Capacity of Religious Leaders to Prevent Violent Extremism in Sri Lanka through a Public Health Approach.” Due to the ongoing pandemic he was forced to redirect his efforts to produce a workshop titled, “COVID-19 and Beyond.” In partnership with DKI APCSS, he designed the workshop, recruited speakers and participants, served as a speaker, and co-hosted the event.  The workshop participants presented South Asia perspectives on COVID-19 prevention and mitigation. The participants shared best practices in responding to the pandemic and identified common challenges that the countries of South Asia were facing.