12.10.2011.

Visit to the Center for Simulations and Distant Learning

Minister of Defence Dragan Sutanovac, together with the delegation of the Embassy of France in Belgrade, visited today the Center for Simulations and Distant Learning and the Department for Foreign Languages at the Military Academy. The members of the French delegation were, alongside the Ambassador Francois-Xavier Deniau, the French Defence Envoy with his associates, as well as the female cadets from the French Military Academy Saint-Cyr, who are visiting our country.

During the visit’s talks, Minister Sutanovac emphasised that we traditionally cherish good cooperation with France, especially in the area of defence. He also stressed the importance of the exchange of officers, especially when it comes to education and specialization.

- The cooperation is to strengthen in the future, when the members of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces become engaged in the French naval contingent in the Peacekeeping Mission in Somalia – Minister Sutanovac emphasised.

Ambassador Deniau said he was proud of the cooperation with our country expressing his especial content that our peacekeepers were to enter the European Union peacekeeping missions by joining the French Navy.

According to his words, the French Republic’s donation to the aforementioned centers at the Military Academy is a big investment for both sides, since the members of our Armed Forces invested a lot of energy so that the centers start operating.

The opening ceremony at the Center for Simulations and Distant Learning took place at the end of last year. The Center is equipped with the latest computer equipment and the software that enables the creation of audio, visual and other multimedia material. It also has a soundproofed room for voice recording, a room for the processing of the audio and visual material, as well as a classroom with 12 places. Up to now, the Center successfully conducted 11 exercises at various levels.

In 2008, thankful to the French donation, the Department of Foreign Languages, which is dedicated both to the cadets and the members of the Ministry of Defence and Serbian Armed Forces, was equipped with the latest tools for foreign language learning. As it was announced, the teaching programmes were soon to be adjusted for different levels of knowledge. Additionally, as a part of the cooperation with the French Embassy, lecturers had a chance to visit that country for specialization.