MVNIA created the Distance Learning Department with the purpose of developing life long learning programs addressing SRI personnel and responding to its continuous training requirements in a flexible and effective manner.
Through the Department, the human resource develops highly qualified abilities to connect to the modern society’s key element: knowledge.
The Department offers the informational, technological and methodical support necessary to content providers (SRI units interested in their personnel’s systematic and advanced training) alongside technical assistance through the e-learning system.
Some of the e-learning advantages are:
- courses’ easy access no matter the place and time;
- courses’ attractiveness and interaction;
- self-assessment opportunities by quizzes;
- learning program’s focus on the student, thus enabling an open and creative communication;
- efficiency and real-time communication and information sharing;
- low costs in terms of participation fees, transportation and accommodation;
- applied pedagogical methods based on knowledge-gathering through applications;
- knowledge increase through modern learning patterns;
- accuracy and objectivity in assessment.
MVNIA E-LEARNING PLATFORM
The Distance Learning Department has further developed itself by European-funded projects through the Human Resource Development Operational Programs (POSDRU) and The Economic Competitiveness Increase (POSCCE), carried out by MVNIA during 2010-2013.
High standard IT infrastructure ensures all premises for successful and efficient e-learning answering SRI educational requirements in terms of continuous training.
Through the Distance Learning Department, SRI reaches the following goals:
- optimizing the continuous training;
- diversifying MVNIA educational programs;
- facilitating SRI personnel’s access to the educational process;
- mutual training standards for SRI beneficiaries;
- eliminating training costs for SRI personnel.
English for Special Purposes – Intelligence studies
“English for Special Purposes (ESP) – Intelligence Studies” training program is dedicated to intermediate level English speakers who want to become specialized in security and intelligence studies, in a particular language.
The program consists in 10 study topics on modern, flexible intelligence-oriented language issues, such as recruiting, risks and threats, terrorism and counterterrorism, espionage and counterespionage, security training, etc..
The learning sessions are aimed at developing language skills associated to the intelligence field, and are followed by tests on grammar issues tailored to the English knowledge level (according to CERFL self-assessment grid).
Course goals:
- adjusting and improving grammar and lexical skills according to intermediate and advanced knowledge levels;
- improving English production skills – both written and spoken;
- developing necessary skills for translating written and spoken difficult texts, in specialized language;
- expanding knowledge for understanding intelligence in the English speaking world;
- strengthening conversation skills for various registers (scientific, literary, specialized);
- developing and strengthening translation techniques for high-difficulty texts;
- strengthening writing skills for essays and specialized research papers:
- vocabulary improvement for specialized language.
CLASSIFIED INFORMATION SECURITY AND PROTECTION
The activity of the Romanian Intelligence Service, part of the Defense, Public Order and National Security System, is carried out by using information of national security, ”secret” information that has to comply with the standards of classified information protection. The most important function of the ”Security and protection of classified information” program is the constant training of the personnel handling classified information as part of the security education.
The program provides the necessary knowledge for a correct handling of top-secret information and its overall protection. Equally, students are provided with the needed information in order to acknowledge the legal and institutional framework on protection and security of top-secret and secret information, considered as classified information. At the same time, it presents and develops all methods, procedures, and tools for the protection and security of classified information in accordance with national, NATO or EU classification standards. The program will address the importance of classifying/ declassifying information and the importance of state secret information protection, which is vital for the security and welfare of the rule of law.
Course goals:
- clarifying the concept of classified information in the context of the informational society;
- knowledge of the legislative framework regulating classified information protection;
- knowledge of the institutional framework on classified information protection;
- knowledge and implementation of methods specific to classified information protection (procedural, legal, physical, personnel, and INFOSEC protection);
- developing security education.
SPECIALIZED DATA SEARCH ON INTERNET
The “Specialized Data Search on Internet” training program presents data about Internet and its evolution; it provides an introduction to the world of engines, meta search engines and web directories, and describes by examples the types of search engines (Google search, Yahoo search, Bing, Exalead, Zuula, etc), their specificity and operating mode. The course also contributes to students’ acquaintance with essential search mechanisms and logical operators, with a view to achieving the necessary knowledge for specialized Internet search.
The training program is adapted to the modern requirements of Internet use, providing a framework for:
– specialization in web search, focusing on images, video files, e-mail addresses, persons, virtual resources (maps, blogs, forums, social networks) identification;
– acquaintance with main solutions to anonymization and identification of best patterns for concealing online identity or activity;
– understanding the operation principles of specialized resources on news search, as well as their advantages and disadvantages.
Course goals:
- knowledge of data search tools for identifying websites (domaintools.com for domain, www.webhosting.info for IP);
- using multiple search engines (Google, Bing, Yahoo, Gigablast, Yandex and Baidu) and meta engines, as well as getting acquainted with the applications provided (Google Maps for location search, Google Images for image search, Google blogs for personal web pages search)
- knowledge of traffic auditing resources on Web pages (such as Quarkbase, Alexa or WebSiteTrafficSpy)
MENTOR TRAINING WITHIN THE ROMANIAN INTELLIGENCE SERVICE
In the modern civilization, teamwork is extended in all fields of activity. Thereby, guidance has become a natural, normal process, a rule of life. Lately, a relatively rich professional literature, especially foreign, has been dedicated to mentoring, its place and role, to competence and pedagogical, psychosocial and management qualities. In this context, mentoring is seen as a process of abilities and information sharing between experienced trainers and beginners or novices.
The training program for mentors within the Romanian Intelligence Service is a training through education project for young beginners. The project is aimed at methodologically explaining various analyses of psychological mechanisms: states, processes, conditions, actions, events, contexts, and arguments. The program we propose is not only a debate, but a challenge to new approaches to eliminate the empirical from mentoring newly graduates and establish, scientifically, a process of relationship in which mentors actively support the disciples’ professional and personal development. Thus, in the end, they fulfill their duties and get a minimal experience in the field.
Course goals:
– developing skills to design specific activities for each and every stage of the mentoring relationship;
– achieving action techniques tailored to specific situations;
– acquiring communication and relationship abilities with disciples so as to further develop their professional life.