New Defense Academy building opens in Tartu's Raadi district
This Friday (October 11), the Estonian Center for Defense Investments (ECDI) opened a new four-story educational building for the Estonian Defense Academy in Tartu's Raadi complex. The facility will, for the first time, allow officer training to be conducted at a permanent location.
"With the completion of the Defense Academy's educational building, officer cadets now have a permanent home," said Peeter Karja, southern portfolio manager of ECDI.
"Ten years ago, sergeants were taught in Meegomäe, then a new building was constructed in the Taara complex, which soon housed our allies, and officers temporarily continued their studies in the Taara container complex. It is a pleasure to acknowledge that the constant moving has ended, and the officers now have their own permanent educational building," Karja added.
The four-story educational building includes accommodation spaces, classrooms, an atrium, and storage areas, and can accommodate approximately 570 people.
"The need for a new educational building was driven by the centralization of educational activities of officers and non-commissioned officers of Estonian Defense Forces (EDF).," said Nele Rand, head of the educational department at the Estonian Defense Academy.
"This decision has a very practical and substantively positive value – it ensures that the training of our officers and non-commissioned officers is based on the same principles, integrated, and that their cooperation both in peace and wartime is smooth and with mutual understanding. Concentrating the education into Tartu fully supports it," Rand said.
"Moreover, the new educational building alleviates the acute problem of space shortages for military leadership training, allowing conducting various additional training in the new facilities. Not the least, the building is modern and supports the implementation of contemporary educational approaches in the best possible way. Therefore, I am convinced that both our servicemen and students will enjoy the new building," added Rand.
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Editor: Michael Cole