Course in International Academic Defence Policy
Online 300-hour course in international academic defence policy. 6 modules covering Regulation (EU) 2021/821 (dual-use products control), the Wassenaar Arrangement and Zotero. Personal tutor and open enrolment.
Course in International Academic Defence Policy — 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: €743 (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
Analyse the role of scientific knowledge in international security and defence policy.
Identify international academic cooperation frameworks and their constraints.
Apply the criteria for controlling intangible technology transfers in the university sphere.
Assess research security risks in collaborations with third countries.
Evaluate the ethical dilemmas between scientific openness and the protection of sensitive knowledge.
Design an institutional international cooperation policy with proportionate safeguards.
Draw up a plan for managing and monitoring that policy in an academic institution.
Who it's for
- Research security officer wishing to specialise in International Academic Defence Policy.
- Science and defence policy analyst wishing to specialise in International Academic Defence Policy.
- Export control technician in universities wishing to specialise in International Academic Defence Policy.
- International R&D project manager wishing to specialise in International Academic Defence Policy.
- University international relations adviser wishing to specialise in International Academic Defence Policy.
- Regulatory compliance consultant in sensitive technologies wishing to specialise in International Academic Defence Policy.
- Graduates in engineering or sciences seeking to enter universities and research centres.
What you'll work with
- Regulation (EU) 2021/821 (dual-use products control)
- Wassenaar Arrangement
- Council of the EU Recommendation on research security (2024)
- Law 53/2007 (control of foreign trade in defence and dual-use materials)
- Royal Decree 679/2014 (regulation on the control of foreign trade)
- Regulation (EU) 2021/695 (Horizon Europe)
- ISO/IEC 27001 (information security)
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Science diplomacy and its role1.2International academic cooperation in security1.3National interests in elite training1.4Researcher mobility and brain drain1.5Academic networks and think tanks1.6International research funding1.7Influence and interference through academia1.8Vocabulary of international relations1.9Useful sources and databases1.10Exercise: mapping a cooperation network
2.1European research programmes in security and defence2.2Participation and eligibility rules2.3Bilateral agreements between States2.4Agreements between universities and military academies2.5International organisations and their programmes2.6Regional cooperation instruments2.7Chairs and centres of excellence2.8Philanthropic and industrial funding2.9Common conditions and clauses2.10Practice: analysing the rules of a programme
3.1Dual-use research and its identification3.2Export control of technology and knowledge3.3Restrictions on publication and their legitimacy3.4Screening of researchers and institutions3.5Foreign investment rules in strategic sectors3.6Research security and good practice3.7Protection of industrial property3.8Cybersecurity of research data3.9Balancing openness and protection3.10Practice: assessing the risk of a collaboration
4.1Cooperating with States with poor human rights records4.2Academic boycott: arguments for and against4.3Institutional neutrality and its feasibility4.4Benefit of shared knowledge versus risk4.5Asymmetry between rich and developing countries4.6Knowledge extraction and authorship4.7Transparency about the funder4.8Responsibility of the individual researcher4.9Role of professional associations4.10Debate: accepting or rejecting an agreement
5.1Drafting an international cooperation policy5.2Criteria for assessing partners5.3Institutional due diligence procedure5.4Enforceable contractual clauses5.5Review committee and how it works5.6Monitoring and review of existing agreements5.7Transparency and public register5.8Training of staff involved5.9Monitoring indicators5.10Practice: designing the due diligence procedure
6.1Choosing the institution and its international portfolio6.2Inventory of agreements and funders6.3Analysis of the applicable regulatory framework6.4Risk assessment per partner6.5Identifying ethical dilemmas6.6Proposed cooperation policy6.7Due diligence procedure6.8Transparency and training plan6.9Proposal report6.10Project defence
How you'll learn
100 % online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and a dedicated technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: 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 standard and applied exercises. The working software is Zotero, NVivo, Power BI, Advanced Excel, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Assignments are based on real procedures: analysis of international scientific cooperation cases, compliance audits for intangible export controls, and drafting of institutional research security policies. Assessment is continuous per 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.
Analyse the role of scientific knowledge in international security and defence policy.
Identify international academic cooperation frameworks and their constraints.
Apply the criteria for controlling intangible technology transfers in the university sphere.
Assess research security risks in collaborations with third countries.
Evaluate the ethical dilemmas between scientific openness and the protection of sensitive knowledge.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme’s software.
- Sufficient 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 comprises 300 hours in total, spread over 3 to 5 months. That is between 10 and 15 hours per week on average, compatible with a full-time job.
You work with Zotero, NVivo, Power BI and Advanced Excel. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
A SEIUM own 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 count towards the higher programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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