Course in Ethics in Military Lobbying
Online 300-hour course in ethics in military lobbying. 6 modules covering Law 19/2013 (transparency, access to public information and good governance), Law 3/2015 (exercise of senior office in the General State Administration) and Advanced Microsoft Excel. Dedicated tutor and open enrolment.
Course in Ethics in Military Lobbying — studying from Ireland
Ireland maintains a small defence force, the Defence Forces, which operates its own engineering corps and equipment maintenance capabilities. Defence procurement and development are handled through the Department of Defence, while much of the wider defence-related industrial activity involves dual-use technologies, electronics and communications systems supplied by domestic and international firms. Engineers in this area typically work on land vehicle maintenance, military communications, protective equipment and systems integration. Policy and procurement are governed by national and European frameworks, including EU defence initiatives.
Fees for Ireland: €644 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Ireland
Typical roles
Questions from Ireland
Which Irish bodies oversee defence engineering and does a private qualification count?
Defence in Ireland is overseen by the Department of Defence, and the Defence Forces run their own training and technical structures. Engineers Ireland sets general professional engineering standards. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not state-awarded, and they are not accredited by any national body, so recognition for any defence-related role is decided by the relevant authority or employer.
Do Irish defence and land-systems employers hire people with private online qualifications?
Irish defence-related hiring is limited and often subject to security vetting and specific qualification requirements, so employers set their own criteria. A private online qualification may be taken into account alongside experience, but we cannot say how any employer will view it or guarantee any result. Check requirements for particular roles directly.
Can I study this from Ireland while working, and what is the workload?
Yes, the programme is 100% online and taught in English, so you can study from home without travel or a student visa. Master's programmes total 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 and specialist courses 300. Each student has an assigned technical tutor, fees can be paid in instalments, and employer sponsorship may be possible. Plan your weekly hours realistically around your job.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Define lobbying activity and its legitimate role in public defence decision-making.
Analyse the Spanish and European legal framework on transparency and registers of interest groups.
Identify revolving-door situations and conflicts of interest in the sector.
Apply the OECD principles on integrity in lobbying to real cases.
Design a code of conduct for interest representation in a defence company.
Evaluate internal control mechanisms and whistleblowing channels in accordance with Law 2/2023.
Draw up a plan to improve the governance of institutional relations.
Who it's for
- Public affairs manager in defence who wishes to specialise in Ethics in Military Lobbying.
- Compliance officer who wishes to specialise in Ethics in Military Lobbying.
- Public integrity analyst who wishes to specialise in Ethics in Military Lobbying.
- Conflicts of interest office technician who wishes to specialise in Ethics in Military Lobbying.
- Institutional relations consultant who wishes to specialise in Ethics in Military Lobbying.
- Researcher in transparency and governance who wishes to specialise in Ethics in Military Lobbying.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the defence industry.
What you'll work with
- Law 19/2013 (transparency, access to public information and good governance)
- Law 3/2015 (exercise of senior office in the General State Administration)
- Interinstitutional Agreement of 20 May 2021 on the EU Transparency Register
- OECD Recommendation on Principles for Transparency and Integrity in Lobbying
- Directive (EU) 2019/1937 (protection of whistleblowers)
- Law 2/2023 (protection of whistleblowers)
- ISO 37001 (anti-bribery management systems)
- United Nations Convention against Corruption (2003)
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Definition of interest representation1.2Legitimate lobbying versus influence peddling1.3Actors: companies, associations, law firms and consultancies1.4Formal and informal channels of influence1.5The defence sector and its particularities1.6Asymmetry of resources between interests1.7The role of technical information in public decision-making1.8Sector vocabulary1.9Information sources and available registers1.10Exercise: mapping the actors in a decision
2.1Transparency registers and their mandatory nature2.2The EU register and its scope2.3National and regional regulation2.4Legislative footprint and publication of meetings2.5Codes of conduct for interest representatives2.6Rules on senior officials and cooling-off periods2.7Incompatibilities and asset declarations2.8Funding of political parties and foundations2.9Sanctioning regime2.10Practice: analysing compliance with a register
3.1Movements between administration and industry3.2Cooling-off periods and their effectiveness3.3Regulatory capture and warning signs3.4External advisers with dual ties3.5Retired military personnel in industry3.6Technical committees and their composition3.7Funding of studies and reports3.8Think tanks and transparency of funds3.9Institutional management of these conflicts3.10Practice: assessing a revolving-door case
4.1Accuracy of the information provided4.2Disclosure of identity and client4.3Prohibition of improper inducements4.4Respect for public decisions and their timing4.5Hospitality, travel and sponsorship4.6Use of third parties and indirect campaigns4.7Astroturfing and false associations4.8Responsibility of the lobbying professional4.9Public commitments and their verification4.10Debate: a case with blurred boundaries
5.1Internal policy on interest representation5.2Training and prior approval of contacts5.3Internal register of meetings and positions5.4Oversight by the board of directors5.5Audit of lobbying activity5.6Proactive transparency by the company5.7The role of the press and civil society5.8The most frequently proposed reforms to the system5.9International comparison of models5.10Practice: drafting a lobbying policy
6.1Choice of organisation and objective6.2Map of decision-makers and competing interests6.3Analysis of the applicable legal framework6.4Identification of ethical risks6.5Design of the internal policy6.6Registration and approval procedure6.7Proactive transparency plan6.8Indicators and audit6.9Proposal report6.10Defence of the project
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and a dedicated technical tutor. No fixed timetable: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine the course with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original regulation and applied exercises. The working software is Advanced Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Power BI, NVivo, Gephi, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Case studies are based on real procedures: analysis of public registers of interest groups, mapping of influence networks and revolving doors, and simulated meetings with public decision-makers. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final integrative project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Define lobbying activity and its legitimate role in public defence decision-making.
Analyse the Spanish and European legal framework on transparency and registers of interest groups.
Identify revolving-door situations and conflicts of interest in the sector.
Apply the OECD principles on integrity in lobbying to real cases.
Design a code of conduct for interest representation in a defence company.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior qualification required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient level of Spanish to follow technical regulatory texts.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 300 hours, spread over 3 to 5 months. That is between 10 and 15 hours a week on average, compatible with full-time work.
You will work with Advanced Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Power BI, NVivo, Gephi. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
An own SEIUM diploma upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrative project. It is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a Course or Postgraduate Diploma in the same area are recognised towards the higher programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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