OVERVIEW

This module prepares military and civilian personnel to conduct engagement with defined audiences through online platforms as part of a strategic communications campaign. The focus of the module is to develop and enhance the student’s practical skills to select appropriate digital platforms and channels, and conceive and create tailored and engaging content, in order to support the communication of narratives, themes, and messages to defined audiences.

AIM

The aim of the NATO Advanced Digital Engagement Module is to educate, train and certify personnel assigned to a digital or social media roles within NATO J10 Strategic Communications or its national equivalent. It will equip participants with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to effectively engage with diverse audiences in a rapidly evolving digital landscape as part of an overarching StratCom plan. The module builds on knowledge gained on the NATO Advanced Strategic Communications Foundation Course and prepares students in accordance with ASCP-01: NATO StratCom Training Standards, Annex F and the NATO StratCom Training Requirements Assessment Review dated January 2023.

TARGET AUDIENCE

The primary training audience for this module are individuals assigned to fill digital engagement and social media positions within J10 Strategic Communications or its national equivalent. It is also open to personnel with management or desk responsibilities for digital engagement and social media within Defence and Security institutions of NATO Allies and Partner nations. While students require no previous digital engagement experience to attend the module, they must have attended a NATO Advanced StratCom Foundation module or NATO Advanced Joint Staff StratCom module, run by the StratCom Academy or another NATO ETF, as the learning objectives build on that common understanding of StratCom to deliver appropriate and engaging digital content as part of a overarching Strategic Communications plan.

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

a.     Plan digital communication and engagement, including social media management, online content
creation, and digital marketing in line with Strategic Communications direction.
b.    Synchronise digital communication and engagement, including social media management, online content
creation, and digital marketing in line with StratCom D&G.
c.     Conduct digital communication and engagement, including social media management, online content
creation, and digital marketing in line with StratCom D&G.
d.     Monitor and assess digital communication and engagement, including social media management, online
content creation, and digital marketing in line with StratCom D&G.

STRUCTURE

This is a 10-day residential module consisting of conceptual lead-in lectures, followed by best practices, case studies, discussions and practical assignments.  The emphasis is on the production of appropriate and engaging content for defined audiences as part of an overarching strategic communications plan, and development of multinational interoperability.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

On successfully completing the module, students will be able to:

a.     Understand and apply the concepts of digital engagement.
b. Use digital tools and technologies as part of an overarching strategic communications plan.
c.      Identify and apply any restrictions on digital engagement for specific audiences from extant
polices and doctrine.
c.      Develop Digital Engagement recommendations as inputs to Integrated Communications
Plans and other operational planning documents.
d.     Apply StratCom Direction and Guidance from StratCom Frameworks, Integrated
Communications Plans and understanding from Information Environment Assessment to develop a
digital engagement plan.
e.     Select appropriate digital platforms and channels, and develop engaging and appropriate
content, for a defined audience.
f.      Understanding and participate in internal coordination processes as part of an
overarching strategic communications plan.
g.     Engage in and moderate comment threads to support the communication of narratives and
key messages.
h.     Develop taskings requests for Combat Camera Teams and other media production
capabilities.
i.       Monitor audience interaction with digital platforms and channels.
j.       Assess the effects of audience interaction with digital platforms and channels against
objectives and desired effects.
k.      Analyse audience interaction with digital platforms and channels to improve performance.

PASS/FAIL CRITERIA

Formative assignment: practical assignments during course; summative: successful participation in formative assessment, final knowledge test – passmark 70%

NATO CERTIFICATION REMARKS

The module is registered within the NATO Allied Command Transformation e-ITEP training catalogue under course code STC-ST-369839. It was developed based on StratCom TRA review 2020 and the CCD2 developed during the ADVANCED NATO Digital Engagement TNA workshop, March 2021 and reviewed in January 2023. It meets the requirements set out in ASCP-1: NATO StratCom Training Standards, Annex F Para 4, and the StratCom TRA Review dated January 2023.

COURSE DATES

Portuguese Airforce Academy, Lisbon, Portugal

DE24/1    17-28 June
DE24/2    11-21 November