Exercising Mobility in Border Guard Basic Training 2015

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2015 Exercising Mobility in Border Guard Basic Training 2015

Exercising Mobility in Border Guard Basic Training Frontex · Exercising Mobility in Border Guard Basic Training

Acknowledgements

This brochure, coordinated by Frontex, is a result of a team effort with valuable contributions from Henrik Warnhjelm (Head of the Training Unit), Gheorghe Varban (Project Manager), Catalina Harabagiu-Dimitrescu, Adriana Cojan, Erwin Ritter, Gabriel Sirbu, Mihai Erlik, and Iulian Iftode (IT expert), who collected, selected and edited the information offered here.

Frontex is grateful to the participating countries, the national border guard authorities, academies and focal points, and the national training coordinators, together with the hosting and guest officers in the Common Core Curriculum Teacher Mobility and Student Exchange Exercises for their essential contributions and support in the development of the project.

The European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union

Plac Europejski 6 PDF version: 00-844 Warsaw, Poland TT-02-16-149-EN-N Tel. +48 22 205 95 00 ISBN 978-92-95205-49-9 Fax. +48 222 05 95 01 doi: 10.2819/594622

[email protected] Print version: www.frontex.europa.eu TT-02-16-149-EN-C ISBN 978-92-95205-48-2 © Frontex, 2016 doi: 10.2819/890493

2 Table of contents

FOREWORD #5

TEACHER MOBILITY #9 Common Core Curriculum: Teacher Mobility Exercises #10 Hosting Countries #15 Estonia #17 Lithuania #20 Romania #23 Slovakia #31 Teacher Mobility Exercises #35

STUDENT EXCHANGE #55 Common Core Curriculum: Student Exchange Exercises #57 Hosting Countries #61 Germany #64 Romania #67 1st Student Exchange Exercise #71 Trainers #71 Students #73 2nd Student Exchange Exercise #81 Trainers #81 Students #83 Gallery #90

3 Frontex · Exercising Mobility in Border Guard Basic Training

4 Henrik Warnhjelm Head of the Training Unit

In the field of training, Frontex focuses on the development and implementation of common educational standards. Frontex strives to be a promoter of excellence in border guard education and training, as well as a developer and provider of training products of high professional quality and ethical standards. All training activities are carried out in order to support the Member States in the training of their border guards and to respond to the complex operational needs arising at the external borders of the European Union.

The basis for Frontex’s training activities was formed by the first edition of the Common Core Curriculum for Border Guard basic training (CCC-basic). Ever since, Frontex has coordinated the further development of the curriculum and assisted the Member States in implementing it.

Interoperability is a prerequisite for smooth operational cooperation. This can only be achieved by the implementation of uniform educational standards and by close cooperation between educational and operational actors. From a practical perspective, the interaction between training and work is best reached through direct contact between teachers in border guard academies, students and operational officers.

The successful application of the interoperability principle begins with the facilitation of common training and personal contacts, leading to good relationships between the border guard students. It develops further with the facilitation of exchange of ideas, experiences and best practices between their trainers with the involvement of operational officers in focal points. This interaction also reinforces the evolving common European border guard culture.

I have noted with satisfaction the positive, and even enthusiastic, feedback received from the participants. I believe that exchange and mobility activities will have a very positive impact on the further development and harmonisation of European border guard training, culture and values. This publication offers a good overview of these activities from the point of view of the participants.

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Gheorghe VARBAN Project Manager

One could argue that 2015 was no different from the previous years of the Fron- tex Mobility/Exchange project. Teachers from many Member States met, set goals for their common activities and then carried out their mobility exercises as usual. The same selection criteria were in place for the participants, the same procedures, the same dedicated project assistants organised the study visits in their partnership academies or focal points at the EU’s external land, air and sea borders. The teachers and students added to their knowledge and experience in border guarding, making personal contacts and enjoying every moment of their time together. Routine. Ordinary. Or was it?

The truth is that the experience of these exercises is always unique for the participating teachers and trainers, as they have the exclusive possibility of meeting the joint operation local and guest officers at the hosting focal points.

The focus is mainly on observing the mechanism of border guard cooperation under the Frontex umbrella in the daily work at the border, on understanding how the Schengen Borders Code and the Integrated Management System are implemented in practice and safeguarded. Many changes in strategy, procedures and equipment have taken place over the years in border guarding, and keeping up with them all is quite challenging.

The guest teachers admit that following the mobility exercises they can better understand the future jobs of their students and they can explain border guarding processes and procedures much better and more easily to their classes.

6 So what is behind the numbers?

A quick glimpse shows that in 2015 alone, 24 teachers and trainers from 16 different MS, delivering classes in basic and further vocational training schools, academic environment and operational units, participated in these exercises. The seniority of teachers ranged from one year to 16 years in the force, so they also took the opportunity to exchange experiences and learn from one another.

The number of trainees, cadets and operational staff that these 24 trainers ad- dress in BG training per year is more than 3,500, in a total of 9,500 teaching hours. Moreover, the knowledge and experience gained during the mobility exercises was also cascaded upon their return on to another 1,255 peer trainers!

Imagine this number multiplied by the number of trainees and teaching hours delivered by each of those trainers!

In addition 40 BG students participated directly in the exchange and benefited from 116 learning hours, accompanied by another 10 trainers, who, in their turn, cascaded the acquired knowledge and experience on to their colleagues.

Is it a lot? Is it little? Were the aims achieved? Definitely, YES.

All these figures can offer just a brief overview of the extent to which Frontex has created fair chances for effective networking and actual liaison of training with operations through teacher mobility and student exchanges.

That said, the massive impact is yet to be assessed in attitudes, motivation, professionalism and interoperability with regard to European border guarding.

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Barbara URBANOVIC Frontex Coordinating Officer

The operational aim of the Focal Points Concept is implementing coordinated operational activities at the external land, sea and air borders of the Member States, by providing a platform for other joint operations, in order to control irregular migration flows towards the territory of the MS and to tackle cross-border crime.

The platform is regarded as a strategic operational response to the pressures of irregular migration and other cross-border related crime that affects the security of the EU’s borders, whereas the implementation of joint operations provides the necessary support to the MS via a flexible and targeted approach. Therefore, the main benefit is the achieving of Frontex’s goals, namely situational awareness supporting response, emergency response and development.

The Focal Points Land operation has specifically proven to be very useful and also versatile in its applications. It has been successfully utilised to provide both deployed guest officers and Common Core Curriculum trainers with a podium from which to perform their respective duties and to achieve various objectives. It has facilitated the exchange of experience and best practices, provided officers with the opportunity to take part in operational activities, and acted as a training tool for national trainers.

It gives me great pleasure to see the Focal Points platform being further used in the Teacher Mobility Exercises. It has been developed with the express objective of providing support. Making it available to trainers and assisting with the dis- semination of common standards is one of the platform’s many potential purposes and an appropriate use of its resources.

I look forward to observing the application of the platform’s potential in this area, and feel confident that its structure and resources will provide added value and further contribute to a high standard of training.

8 Teacher Mobility Frontex · Exercising Mobility in Border Guard Basic Training

Common Core Curriculum: Teacher Mobility Exercises

Aim

the effective implementation of the Common Core Curriculum for border guard basic training as a background for EU border guard interoperability long-term support for

development of border guard culture and values in what can be defined as ‘border-guardship’

Participation requirements

Hosting Member State: Participating teachers: n willing to organise mobility n assigned nationally to deal with exercises Border Guard training n has a Frontex Partnership n have knowledge of the CCC Academy background n has a focal point at the external n have a good command of English EU border n having practical Border Guard n has a Joint Operations calendar experience is an added value in place

10 Roles

Frontex Training Unit in charge of project management and organisation Project Manager

Project Sub-leaders support the project manager in the preparation, development and assessment of the exercise and recommendations for exercise improvement

Project Assistants create the necessary context and the opportunities (Host Officers) for the teachers to have direct social and professional contact with their foreign colleagues at the Partnership Academy and Focal Point

Partnership ensure necessary organisational and administrative Academies support is provided to the teachers/trainers

Participating n observe and analyse the operational processes Teachers in EU border guarding and the interoperability, functioning and cooperation mechanisms used by the actors involved in Frontex-coordinated operational activities

n make contact with their counterparts at the hosting border guard Partnership Academies and exchange best practices in CCC implementation as part of the EU border guard basic training design, delivery and evaluation

n collect information related to the common legal basis for Frontex joint operations, the Integrated Border Management Model, the compatibility of border guard activities in the EU, the organisation and carrying out of joint operations, equal treatment for citizens at all EU external borders, and the promotion of fundamental rights

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Management and organisation

Preparation n participating teachers are nominated by the sending countries n the teachers team up for the exercises n the teachers select the hosting country n the teachers and hosting officers establish the objectives and agenda n agreement of the agenda n the official invitations are sent n the hosting officers make all of the financial and logistical arrangements n the participating teachers prepare their teacher’s moment

Deployment n ten working days, including arrival and departure, per one mobility exercise n the host officers welcome the teachers at the Partnership Academies n the teacher’s moment and the exchanges of ideas, best practices and materials take place n the visit continues at the focal point n the teachers observe the operational aspects of border guarding in a multi- national environment n national uniforms and the Frontex badge are worn by the teachers at all times to ensure visibility

Post deployment n the teachers cascade the information and experience gained on to their colleagues in their national border guard training systems n the teachers transfer the information and experience gained as part of CCC implementation to their students

Assessment n by the project sub-leaders, in the evaluation report n by the teachers, in feedback reports n by the hosting officers, in feedback reports n by Frontex, based on the online questionnaire filled in by teachers on how they translated the knowledge and experience acquired into their teaching and on how they cascaded the information on to their colleagues

12 Tony MOUTON

position: Project sub-leader expertise: Management of Schengen borders, knowledge management, training development institution: The Belgian Federal Police, migration unit

Having responsibilities in the field of border management, in the development of training programmes for border guards and in providing border guard training at a national level, I have been part of the Teacher Mobility project from the very beginning: the start-up meeting in 2009. With this project Frontex has offered the opportunity to all Member States to participate in this experience exchange, aiming to improve “interoperability” within border guarding at the EU level via a mobility programme for teachers. I first participated as a teacher in the pilot project in Romania in 2010. Immediately afterwards, I was tasked with evaluating the project from the point of view of the project sub-leader. Having acted as the project sub-leader for five years now, and having observed and assessed the mobility exercises during this time, I can conclude that this project actively focuses on achieving interoperability at the EU’s borders via the training of BG trainers, contributing to the enhancement of personal and professional development and enlarg- ing the network of motivated BG experts throughout Europe, with the added benefit of increasing the number of knowledgeable and reliable officers at the EU’s borders.

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14 Teacher Mobility

Hosting Countries

Estonia

Lithuania

Romania

Slovakia Frontex · Exercising Mobility in Border Guard Basic Training

16 Estonia

Tallinn Narva

Official name Republic of Estonia

Country code EE

Official language(s) Estonian

Capital Tallinn

Population 1.32 million

Total area 45 227 km2

Total length of border 1 449 km

Total length of internal border 343 km

Total length of external border Russian Federation: 338 km Sea: 768 km

EU member country since 1st May 2004

Schengen member country since 21st December 2007

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The Police and Border Guard College of the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences

The Estonian Academy of Secu- rity Sciences is a state institution providing professional education for civil servants working in the area of the government under the Estonian Ministry of the Interior. The Academy was established in 1992, after Estonia regained its independence.

The objective of the EASS is to, through internal security related academic education, research and development activities, and also through the training of honest and competent public servants, create a secure state and the conditions for stable development across the state of Estonia, and to thereby contribute to the security of the entire European Union. The academy trains civil servants in four colleges under the following specialties: police and border guard; rescue; correction; and taxation and customs.

The courses of the EASS are offered at the levels of vocational training, professional higher education and master’s studies, as both day and distance studies.

The EASS has created excellent opportunities for its lecturers and students to engage in successful academic work, conducting applied research, professional self-development and cooperation with a range of organisations, both in Esto- nia and abroad. The EASS publishes research papers and other educational resources related to internal security and public service. The EASS is an educational institution in Estonia which functions like an umbrella, to train officers for three different ministries responsible for Estonian internal security.

Elmar NURMELA

position: Advisor to the director of the Police and Border Guard College expertise: Liaison with CEPOL, Frontex institution: The Estonian Academy of Security Sciences, Tallinn, Estonia

The preparation and implementation of the Frontex Teacher Mobility exercises gave me, as a hosting officer, the opportunity to see the development and the success of the program itself, because all of the teachers involved gave only positive feedback about that.

18 In my opinion, the time schedule of the programme was very good, spending two days at the academy in order to meet local teachers and discuss CCC implementation and, at the same time, to share own experiences, methodology and teaching materials.

But the most important part of the TME for the teachers was the opportunity to get an overview of all types of border guarding with technical and technological resources while taking part in practical exercises at the EU external borders. Sharing best practices with local border police officers and meeting Frontex joint operation team members gave the TME participants a better understanding of the importance of the EU’s external borders and of the CCC as a tool for building up the same standards between different member states police and border guard organisations. As one participant mentioned in the feedback, and as I totally agree, the TME is proof of the effectiveness of using EU money to optimise the training process of the border guards within EU, especially from the point of view of cooperation at the EU’s external borders.

Narva Border Crossing Point (BCP) is located in the city of Narva and consists of three BCPs: Narva-1, Narva-2 and Narva Railway BCP. The BCP is responsible for organising border crossing and checks for pedestrians, passenger vehicles, buses, lorries, and cargo and passenger trains. The BCP is the main gateway between Estonia and the Russian Federation. Most of the travellers are local people, citizens of Estonia or Russia. The Narva BCP has hosted Frontex operations since 2008. Today Narva BCP is the only focal point at the Estonian-Russian land border.

Antti EENSALU

position: Head of Border Control Service expertise: Service planning, Schengen institution: Narva Border Crossing Point, Estonia

For the Police and Border Guard Board, the TME gives a good opportunity to introduce the principles of Estonian border management. At the same time, it is very beneficial to compare our systems and working procedures with those of the participating countries, thus gaining new insight into practices with regard to border management.

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Lithuania

Medininkai

Official name Republic of Lithuania

Country code LT

Official languages(s) Lithuanian

Capital Vilnius

Population 3.24 million

Total area 65 300 km2

Total length of border 1 739 km

Total length of internal border 811 km

Total length of external border Belarus: 679 km Russian Federation: 249 km

EU member country since 1st May 2004

Schengen member country since 21st December 2007

20 The Border Guard School (the BGS) of the State Border Guard Service of the Minis- try of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania (the SBGS) ensures the provision of high quality training suited to the requirements of border guarding and armed national defence. The BGS is a structural unit of the SBGS. It is a vocational training institution whose role is to train skilled border guards for one and a half years according to the border guard basic training curriculum, in line with the requirements of the European Union (EU) Border Guard Common Core Curriculum (CCC) and to deliver further training to SBGS structural unit personnel. After BGS cadets graduate and ac- quire a border guard qualification, they are appointed to the positions of border guards in SBGS units. The special further training courses include a senior border guard training course, a junior specialist training course, courses for different kinds of instructors, etc. Periodically, each officer is sent to the BGS for some specialist training courses to improve his/her qualifications, for instance checking document, border crossing point activities, detection of stolen vehicles, English language, Schengen law, etc. The BGS is an active member of the Frontex Part- nership Academy (PA) network and hosts different kinds of Frontex initiated international events: mid-level officer training, English language training and so on. The additional work of the BGS includes: educational activities; methodolog- ical assistance; project activities; research; general and personnel management; property management and accommodation of persons; forensic activities; personal care activities; and first aid training.

Giedrius GENIUSAS

position: Head of the training organisation department expertise: Organisation of vocational and further training institution: The Border Guard School of the State Border Guard Service, Medininkai, Lithuania

I am firmly convinced that the Frontex Teacher Mobility project is one of the best ways to gain different and sufficient operational experience. Teachers and instructors from across the EU and SAC are able to exchange CCC and other curricula design and implementation features, as well as improve their foreign languages and multicultural communication skills.

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The Medininkai Focal Point (FP) is the largest road border crossing point (BCP) on the border with Belarus, the main gateway from the east to Lithuania. It is situated on the Vilnius–Minsk highway, 28 km from Vilnius, 150 km from Minsk and 1 km from the PA.

The Kybartai FP is the largest road and railway BCP at the border with Russia. This BCP is the main land entry/exit point on the Fa- cilitated Kaliningrad Transit route.

The Vilnius Airport FP has the largest airport BCP in Lithuania. It is situated in the city of Vilnius, 32 km from the PA.

Miroslav RABOVIC

position: Senior specialist in the training organisation department expertise: Further training organisation institution: The Border Guard School of the State Border Guard Service, Medininkai, Lithuania

This project gives an opportunity to exchange professional experiences, theoretical knowledge and best practices during the guest officers’ deployments to a Frontex joint operation, and those of the teachers and border guards from the host country.

The local staff can use the teachers’ theoretical knowledge and practical experience for border control.

The project enables all of the BG officers to develop their abilities to work in a multicultural environment.

22 Romania

Oradea

Iaşi

Moravita Galati Bucharest Constanta

Official name Romania

Country code RO

Official languages(s) Romanian

Capital Bucharest

Population 21.62 million

Total area 238 390 km2

Total length of border 3 149 km

Total length of internal border 1 079 km

Total length of external border Moldova: 681 km Ukraine: 649 km Serbia: 546 km Sea: 194 km

EU member country since 1st January 2007

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The School for Basic and Further Training of Border Police Personnel, Iaşi

The School for Basic and Further Training of Bor- der Police Personnel is located in a border region, in the city of Iaşi, 15 km from the external border of the EU with the Republic of Moldova, i.e. the future Schengen border. Close to the school are road (Scu- leni), railway (Ungheni) and air (Iaşi) border crossing points, which offer good opportunities for practical classes. The school organises and runs basic and career development training for Romanian border police personnel in the following fields related to combating cross-border crime: illegal migration; smuggling; detection of international trafficking in stolen vehicles; travel document fraud; first- and second-line checks at the borders (railway, road and air); tactics and equipment used in surveillance of the green border; biometrics and biometrical checks with regard to travel documents; international agreements, conventions and EU regulations on visas; forensic science; management of border intelligence and risk analysis; EU regulations relevant for the activity of the border police; assessment and reporting of minor and major crimes; combating trafficking in drugs and psychotropic substances; SIS and SIRENE; foreign languages for cooperation in the Schengen area; IBM; border police IT and communication systems and working procedures; physical training and self-defence; shooting; protection of classified information; and first aid. The school employs twenty-one trainers and has a training capacity of three hundred and fifty trainees per series.

Catalina HARABAGIU-DIMITRESCU, Ph.D.

position: Teacher expertise: English institution: The School for Basic and Further Training of Border Police Personnel in Iasi, Romania

It is always a pleasure to welcome foreign colleagues to the Teacher Mobility Exercises at the Border Police School in Iasi. Together with our guests, we, the hosting trainers, have enhanced our understanding of the overall picture of border guarding in Europe and have been able to connect theoretical knowledge with practical aspects, according to national organisational peculiarities and traditions. The benefits are huge for all the parties involved, as the concept of these exercises facilitates networking and impact to the greatest extent possible.

24 Frontex Focal Point Galati – the Border Police Sector in Galati

Frontex Focal Point Galati has been established at the level of the Border Police Sector in Ga- lati within the Iaşi Border Police Territorial Inspectorate (subordinated to the General Inspectorate of Border Police in Bucharest), as a structure responsible for: n border surveillance and border crossing checks at the border with the Repub- lic of Moldova; n surveillance of the upper Danube open to international navigation; n border checks for passengers and cargo at four border crossing points (the Galati road BCP, the Galati port BCP, the Galati railway BCP and the Galati free zone BCP) and surveillance for the purposes of preventing and managing irregular migration, countering cross-border crime and ensuring the ob- servance of the state border juridical regime; n deployment of forces, equipment and means of mobility, depending on the existing operational situation; n cooperation with similar institutions of the neighbouring state, i.e. the Republic of Moldova, based on bilateral agreements.

Frontex Focal Point Galati permanently hosts joint operation focal points as a platform for various other Frontex joint operations and activities.

Gabriel SIRBU

position: Border Police Officer, local training coordinator at Frontex Focal Point Galati expertise: International Relations, Schengen and border police training institution: The Romanian Border Police, the Territorial Border Police Inspectorate in Iasi, Romania

During the Teacher Mobility Exercise held at Focal Point Galati in 2015 the combined activities (theoretical briefings and practical field visits/shifts) were relevant for understanding the Romanian Border Police training system and the implementation of the CCC at the external borders units. Visits to the operational units (Border Police Sectors, the green border and Border Crossing Points) made clear all of the information received during the briefing sessions: the surveillance system on three alignments, the border patrol missions and the technical equipment. Meeting the Guest Officers (from France

25 Frontex · Exercising Mobility in Border Guard Basic Training

and Spain) deployed in the Frontex Joint Operation Focal Points in 2015 and the Mol- davian officers working in the Galati Common Contact Centre, and joining them during the day and the night shifts, contributed to real-time exchange of information and experiences, representing effective activities for understanding the scope and the goals of these joint operations. All of the missions showed to the teachers the complexity and the importance of the Romanian Border Police’s activities at the EU’s external borders.

The “Avram Iancu” Border Police Agent Training School in Oradea

This school was established on 31st July 1992 and continues the tradition of public order and national security training which has existed in Oradea since 1919. It is an institution of further education (vocational education), subordinated directly to the General Inspectorate of the Romanian Border Police. The main task of the school is the basic training of operational border police agents, in two-year regular courses. Other tasks includ: n further training of border police officers and agents by specialised courses in Schengen acquis, police intervention, first aid, foreign languages, IT and data- bases, etc; n organising basic training courses for border police agents from external agencies.

The school also organises courses and exams for senior agents.

Ioana-Lucia BORDEIANU, Ph.D.

position: Head of Foreign Languages and Socio-humanistic Sciences expertise: English, Ethics, Sociology institution: The “Avram Iancu” Border Police Agent Training School in Oradea, Romania

The TME project is a good way of mixing teachers together in the operational field in order for them to gain a better understanding of the border as a concept, procedures and specific activities. It is the best way to put theory together with practice and to verify interoperability at its home. Exchanging of materials and experiences is a good way of developing both in the professional area and the personal one, both as individuals and as border guards. A true understanding of the border-guardship concept is easy to ob- tain while working together at the external EU borders.

26 Moravita Focal Point, Romania/the Romanian Border Police

FP Moravita was opened in 2009 and is now a per- manent Frontex focal point, part of the Eastern European Region. Located in Timis county, in the south-west of Romania, Moravita FP is 65 km from the city of Timisoara, on the E-70, in the responsibility area of the Moravita BPU, part of the Timisoara Territorial Border Police Inspectorate. Located at the border with the Republic of Serbia, the Moravita BPU has two types of border crossing point: rail and road.

Stamora-Moravita rail BCP has been open to the international traffic of passengers and goods since 1937, while Moravita road BCP has been open since 1954. The passenger flow totals around one million per year. The main risk profiles at the Moravita BCP consist of cigarette smuggling and trafficking in stolen cars. The responsibility area of the Moravita BPU is over 1,000 square kilome- tres (38.18 km border length and 30 km in the interior). At the green border, the risk profiles are cigarette smuggling and irregular migration. The Moravita Focal Point is regarded as a strategic operational response to the pressure of irregular migration and cross-border related crimes that affect the security of the EU’s external land border. It has been used as a ‘pioneer’ in different Frontex projects, including teacher mobility and third country coordination points.

Tiberiu-Ioan BOCIAT

position: Head of Common Contact Point in Cenad expertise: International Police cooperation, THB, criminal investigations institution: The Romanian Border Police, Common Contact Point in Cenad, Romania

This project has been very useful for the development of my professional career and also for my colleagues involved in this project. To be connected with different peers from police and border police organisations from other MS, especially training centres and police academies, so as to share experience and best practices can offer only professional benefits.

For my organisation, this project has added value, because it has given the opportunity to other staff who are not directly involved in Frontex activities or projects to meet teachers and experts from other MS, which serves to improve their command of the English language and their capability to work in an international and multicultural environment.

27 Frontex · Exercising Mobility in Border Guard Basic Training

Marius-Dan POPARA , Ph.D.

position: Deputy Chief of the Territorial Border Police Inspectorate in Timisoara expertise: Border surveillance and control, European and Schengen law, management, training development institution: The Romanian Border Police, the Territorial Border Police Inspectorate in Timisoara

The Teacher Mobility Exercise represents an excellent opportunity for exchanging data and information, and has been a real benefit for border police officers, who exchange know-how with teachers from different countries. The border police officers learn about different practices regarding surveillance and control procedures, giving an added value to their professional skills. The visits from representatives from other countries have made our border police officers determined to increase the quality of procedure application in order to show a high level of training. This is increasing the level of theoretical and practical training of all parties and keeps an open door for cooperation between similar structures from other countries. In the present European political and security environment, this type of project can give answers and rapid solutions to problems faced when managing surveillance and border checks.

28 The “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” Police Academy, Romania

The “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” Police Academy was set up in 1949 as the School for Militia Officers, in 1972 it became a higher education military institution for the Ministry of the Interior and in 1991 the A.I. Cuza Police Academy with[in] the Ministry of Administration and the Interior. The academy is a higher education institution accredited by the Ministry of Education, Research, Youth and Sports, with legal status and autonomy, and a component of the national education system. n It holds accreditation from the Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education and has received from that agency a high confidence rating. n It is a full member of ENQA: the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education. The main tasks of the academy are: 1. Basic training for officers, at the undergraduate level. The police faculty -or ganises three-year BA university studies (180 ECTS) for police officers, border police officers, gendarmerie officers and penitentiary officers. 2. Continuous training for officers – Master’s programmes (professional and juridical), two years (120 ECTS). 3. Continuous training for officers – Doctoral programmes, three years (domains: public order and safety; law).

Gabriel PERES, Ph.D.

position: Lecturer expertise: Schengen training institution: The “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” Police Academy in Bucharest, Romania

The Teacher Mobility Exercise has offered its participants an opportunity to establish direct contact with the system of higher education within the Police Academy and to join the theoretical and practical activities. There have been working visits to the most important structures related to European police cooperation in Romania: the National Centre of the Schengen Information System, the SIRENE Bureau, the Forensics Institute, the General In- spectorate of Border Police and the International Airport – modern structures relevant for the activity of securing the external borders. The teachers had the chance to meet border guards who were carrying out different Frontex missions at the airport and teachers from the Police Academy, this offering an excellent opportunity to exchange information, experience and contacts. They noticed that there are no differences concerning teaching methods and the content is according to the CCC. I am convinced that the exercise has been beneficial for the professional experience of the participants, as they left with a lot of professional knowledge which will be useful for carrying out training activities in their countries.

29 Frontex · Exercising Mobility in Border Guard Basic Training

Constanţa Focal Point/the Romanian Border Police

Since 2009, the Constanţa border crossing point has been active as a maritime focal point within the Focal Point Sea joint operation. It is a local structure of the Coast Guard, as a territorial structure of the Romanian Border Police, with the main responsibility of per- forming border control in Constanţa port. That port is a maritime and river harbour situated on the west coast of the Black Sea, with an annual operational capacity of 120 million tonnes. The flow of passengers, ships and goods is constantly growing, with Constanţa port playing a major role within the European transport network.

The complexity of the BCP is due to the fact that it performs border control on different types of ships, such as cruise vessels, cargo ships and pleasure boats. All ships arriving in and/or leaving Romania are subject to border checks based on the results of tactical risk analysis performed at the level of the border crossing point of their arrival.

The main risk factors here are illegal crossing of the state border, irregular migration and smuggling of counterfeit goods, depending on the nationality of the crew members and the last port of call.

Alexandru OAE

position: Border Police officer expertise: International Relations, Schengen and Border Police training institution: The Border Police Coast Guard in Constanta, Romania

The Teacher Mobility Exercise, a continuous operationalisation process of the Common Core Curriculum, has been a real benefit for teachers, offering them a chance to observe operational situations and modi operandi and the surveillance and control procedures for maritime and river external borders in order to transpose the knowledge to the national curricula. The exercise has represented an added value for the host country through the exchange of experience and discussion regarding the best practices in the domain of border control.

The concerted actions of the participants in the TME contribute actively to Integrated Border Management; the keywords defining project are interoperability, cooperation and European networking.

30 Slovakia

Vysne Nemecke Bratislava

Official name Slovak Republic

Country code SK

Official languages(s) Slovak

Capital Bratislava

Population 5.38 million

Total area 49 036 km2

Total length of border 1 653 km

Total length of internal border 1 555 km

Total length of external border Ukraine: 98 km

EU member country since 1st May 2004

Schengen member country since 21st December 2007

31 Frontex · Exercising Mobility in Border Guard Basic Training

The Academy of the Police Force in Bratislava is located in the outskirts of Bratislava. It was established by the National Council of the Slovak Republic and began to deliver university education on 1st October 1992.

In compliance with the Bologna process (three degree study), the academy provides accredited university education in all types of university studies – Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral studies – in the fields of security and police science, pursuant to the ECTS system. Studies can be on-site (full-time) or off-site (part- time). One study programme is under development (forensics and criminology). Other accredited study programmes available are: protection of persons and property (BA, MA, PhD); and security-law services in public administration (BA, MA).

The following courses are available in further training and education: specialised police study for newcomers to the police force and graduates from civilian and military universities; qualification and re-training courses; innovation study; specialised study for criminalistic [‘forensic’?] techni- cians; supplementary training; foreign languages; and research training.

International cooperation is focused on scientific research and practical applications of security services. The implementation of specific goals and tasks in different areas is based on contracts with partner institutions. The study programmes at the Academy of the Police Force in Bratislava are tailored to the threats of terrorism, organised crime, THB, and intolerance and racism.

Maria SLAMOVA

position: Police Officer expertise: International Cooperation institution: The Academy of the Police Force in Bratislava, Slovakia

The Teacher Mobility Exercise project presents a unique opportunity for teachers of border guards to compare theoretical experiences lectured at their home institutions with practices that are carried out at the external borders of the European Union.

An important added value can be seen in the common shift with guest officers who are deployed at the external borders of the European Union, as well as other arranged meet- ings with experts in the field. Participation in this project provides an excellent opportunity to exchange information, experience and contacts.

32 The Border and Alien Police Directorate, Sobrance, Slovakia/The Border and Alien Police Bureau

The Directorate of the Border and Alien Police, So- brance is responsible for the external land border with Ukraine at the regional level. The directorate is under the command of the Border and Alien Police Bureau, which is responsible for border management in Slova- kia. The directorate directly manages ten border control units of the police force. These units are responsible for carrying out border checks and border surveillance at the external border, at the local level.

Within the Border and Alien Police Directorate, Sobrance (BAPD) there are in total ten border crossing units (BCUs), five border crossing points (Vyšné Nemecké, Ubľa, Veľké Slemence, Čierna nad Tisou and Maťovské Vojkovce) and nine other specialised units. These are a training unit, a travel document analysis unit, a unit for duty coordination, a cynology [‘canine’?] unit, a mobile intervention unit, an operational centre, a unit for technical supervision of the external border, an analysis and statistics unit, and an administrative and internal unit.

The main tasks of the BAPD: control of the external land border with Ukraine; combating cross-border crime, smuggling and trafficking in human beings; managing irregular migration flows; detection of cross-border crime; risk analysis; cooperation with Frontex; readmission and asylum procedure; monitoring the development and implementation of technical equipment for border control; and training with regard to the implementation of IBM (at the regional level).

Marcel HOLDA

position: Specialist officer expertise: Border control institution: The Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic

The opportunity to observe the border guarding activities carried out at the external borders allows teachers to interact with the border guard community and to increase their ability to give life to their teaching with practical examples and descriptions.

In addition to the professional purposes, during the exercises the teachers have the chance to discover the lands and cultures of other people. Deployment abroad also allows an individual to better understand and improve him or herself.

From my point of view, the exercise is a rewarding and unique experience for the teachers.

33 Frontex · Exercising Mobility in Border Guard Basic Training

Iulian IFTODE

position: Senior multimedia specialist expertise: Multimedia development, instructional design and public relations, institution: The General Inspectorate of the Romanian Border Police

It was an honour and a pleasure for me to provide IT support to the Teacher Mobility and the Student Exchange exercises in 2014–2015 in terms of developing the online platform for gathering feedback and the promotion book writing.

As with all of the Frontex projects I have worked for, I was impressed with the dedica- tion and professionalism of the hosting teams and the great care given to details when organising the activities. The guest officers, in their turn, made as much benefit as -pos sible of this opportunity for learning and networking, and that can be seen from the extremely positive feedback we have collected.

34 Teacher Mobility Exercises

number of teachers: 16 hosting countries: Estonia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia sending countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain

35 Frontex · Exercising Mobility in Border Guard Basic Training

36 The participants in the implementation meeting in Lyon, France, in March 2015.

The teams of teachers were formed and the academies and focal points to be visited during the mobility exercise were chosen. The aims of the exercises were set and the agenda details agreed. Frontex · Exercising Mobility in Border Guard Basic Training

1st Teacher Mobility Exercise

location: Lithuania (PA Medininkai, FP Medininkai) date: 11–22 May sending countries: Bulgaria, Portugal

Francisco COELHO

position: Deputy chief inspector, coordinator expertise: Border guarding institution: Lisbon regional department – Investigation and Intelligence Regional Sector, Portugal

As an officer from Portugal, a Member State without external (land) borders, I am very grateful to have received the opportunity to see and learn about border control at the green border and road and railway border crossing points.

I have gained knowledge, experience, new skills, new ideas and methods, new working partnerships, and new understanding of the structure of similar border guard institutions.

Ivan LOLEV

position: Lecturer expertise: Border control institution: The Academy of the Ministry of the Interior, Sofia, Bulgaria

In my opinion the TME project is very important and useful.

During the exercises the teachers can see how the same border control activities are performed in different countries and what can be improved in or applied to procedures in their home countries. It is important for teachers to attend some practical activities in order to be up-to-date with the subjects that they teach. Following the mobility exercise I am now able to develop practical activities during my lectures connected with issuing short-term visas for seamen and with border control on board vessels.

38 39 Frontex · Exercising Mobility in Border Guard Basic Training

2nd Teacher Mobility Exercise

location: Estonia (PA Tallinn, FP Narva) date: 18–29 May sending countries: Finland, Romania

Jouni HUUHTANEN

position: Teacher expertise: Border checks institution: The Border and Coast Guard Academy, Imatra, Finland

The TME in Estonia was my first TME. It was a great opportunity to get new experiences and to think about common practices and objectives. We were able to observe teaching methods, and we gained practical experience by participating in boat patrols and rescue operations at sea. We made a lot of new contacts with whom we can exchange experiences in the future.

Grigore PACALA

position: Head of department expertise: Public order and national security institution: The School for the Further Training of Border Police Personnel, Drobeta Turnu Severin, Romania

I think Frontex had an excellent idea with regard to the organising of these exercises.

The TME has been very useful for my development as a teacher and I am going to use the experience gained in my national training, in employing new training methods for different subjects, presenting new case studies, developing new teaching materials and delivering updated information.

40 Robert-Petre UNGUREANU, Ph.D

position: Lecturer expertise: Border police tactics institution: The “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” Police Academy in Bucharest, Romania

The exercise has provided us with a better understanding of joint operations and it has also been an utterly unique experience, taking into consideration the variety of the planned activities and study visits. The days hosted by the Estonian Academy of Secu- rity Sciences and the Police and Border Guard College were very active and we successfully participated in, and assessed information about, the work of the Academy and the College, so as to have a clear overview about CCC implementation. We had the opportunity to take part, with teachers, in Russian language lessons, document check lessons, tactical exercises, and border control lessons.

We observed teaching methods during the lessons, we discussed and debated subjects in the curricula, we analysed and compared the number of hours dedicated for different activities, and also identified the CCC added value for the entire teaching system.

41 Frontex · Exercising Mobility in Border Guard Basic Training

3rd Teacher Mobility Exercise

location: Romania (PA Iasi, FP Galati) date: 17–28 August sending countries: Bulgaria, Slovakia

Nikolaj ASENOV DIMITROV

position: Head of department expertise: EU legislation, border control institution: The Specialised Police Training Center, Varna, Bulgaria

I’ve never participated in such programmes before. This TME has been very useful, as I have improved my English, collected information about the project, and experienced different practical activities at the border.

Activities of this kind help teachers to improve their professional experience in the field of methods and ways of using study materials.

The added value of my participation is the understanding of the hosting organisation’s structure, tasks, responsibilities, competence, personnel, training system, procedures, equipment and implementation of the CCC.

Petra FERENCIKOVA

position: Lecturer expertise: English institution: The Academy of the Police Force, Bratislava, Slovakia

The TME project has been an excellent opportunity to gain theoretical and practical experience of border surveillance, first- and second-line checks, use of technical devices, etc. The project is unique, as it provides interaction between teachers from different countries, guest officers and border guards in the field.

42 Rastislav ROSKO

position: Specialist teacher expertise: Border surveillance institution: The Secondary Vocational School of the Police Force, Košice, Slovakia

The third teacher mobility exercise in Romania was useful not only because we had the chance to observe how our Romanian colleagues solve the challenges they face, but also because we were able to compare our training systems, teaching methods and methodology in BG training. I am grateful for the opportunity to take part in this special activity.

Stella STRAUS

position: Lecturer expertise: English, Italian institution: The Police Academy, the Police Training Centre, Ljubljana, Slovenia

I have never before taken part in such or similar programmes. For me it was interesting to see and experience how things work in practice, as well as to gain information – not only from the representatives of the host country but also from other members of our group – on how they cope with the gap between theory and practice in police training and what their educational/training systems are like.

I find the mobility exercise to have been very useful, since I have broadened my knowledge and gained new/additional professional experience from an area I was not familiar with in practice.

43 Frontex · Exercising Mobility in Border Guard Basic Training

4th Teacher Mobility Exercise

location: Slovakia (PA Bratislava, FP Vysne Nemecke) date: 31 August – 11 September sending countries: the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Latvia

Salla LEHTIO

position: Teacher expertise: English, Swedish institution: The Border and Coast Guard Academy, Imatra, Finland

I have gained valuable practical experience to further develop my teaching and better meet the practical needs of my students. During the exercise I observed entry/exit checks and vehicle inspections and I gained understanding of how joint operations effectively promote cooperation.

Marek LIIVA

position: Lecturer expertise: Document fraud institution: The Police and Border Guard College, Muraste, Estonia

Such mobility programmes for teachers are very much necessary. We had the chance to exchange experience and to share information on border control at EU external borders.

Our hosts gave us the opportunity to discuss border guard issues with local and guest officers. We are looking forward to extending our cooperation and we are grateful for our contacts.

Juris SKORODIHINS

position: Lecturer expertise: Border control, Schengen acquis institution: The State Border Guard College, Rezekne, Latvia

The TME is a good project for the border guard teachers, because they need to see the methods and tactics of teaching used in other countries.

44 Jan VESELÝ

position: Trainer expertise: Immigration institution: The National Police College, Holesov, Czech

While participating in the Teacher Mobility Exercise I have gained new knowledge and skills for border control. I have improved my ability to communicate in English with people from the rest of the EU. I have found out new things about border guard education in other countries. I have met new people and made new friends.

45 Frontex · Exercising Mobility in Border Guard Basic Training

5th Teacher Mobility Exercise

location: Romania (PA Oradea, FP Moravita) date: 07–18 September sending countries: Estonia, Italy, Lithuania, Spain

Aida HATSATURJAN

position: Lecturer expertise: Russian institution: The Estonian Academy of Security Sciences, Tallinn, Estonia

The TME project gives a good opportunity to extend the spectrum of knowledge about EU border-crossing procedures, activity, security, and cases, in order to collect/gather objective and essential information about activity at the EU’s external borders.

I had the chance to share my experience in the field of teaching language for special purposes and cultural studies (very close to ‘transactional analysis’) with my Romanian colleagues and other staff from different countries during the fifth TME.

I learned about the specificity of border-crossing procedures for persons with different citizenship and how surveillance at the important border areas is performed.

Giorgio PASQUA

position: Head of unit expertise: Risk analysis institution: National Police, Cesena, Italy

This has been an important exchange of information about work experience from both a theoretical and a practical point of view.

Meeting and talking with colleagues that work in the same fields, but in different countries, has given us the opportunity to gain a common work experience.

The TME has been a valuable training activity that enables us to work with common standard procedures at the European level.

46 Ivan VELASCO-MIRANDA

position: Coordinator of foreign language teaching expertise: Languages institution: The National Police School, Avila, Spain

The TME is an exceptional tool again linking us teachers to the operational activities which must be reflected in our training. So the investment is multiplied by the number of students we train every year.

During this exercise I have observed two different aspects of the Romanian Border Guard Partnership Academy I consider so proper and necessary that I have proposed their implementation in our PA. The first is the close relationship that the PA has with the sur- rounding operational environment, which provides real cases for study every week. The second is the facilities simulating a BCP which are used for the students’ training.

I will use the knowledge and the experience gained in every lesson I give, because now these lessons can be more accurate and have an important international approach.

Julija ZIMINSKA

position: Teacher expertise: English institution: The State Border Guard School, Medininkai, Lithuania

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Frontex for implementing the TME project. It is an amazing opportunity for many teachers to understand the daily work life of border guards better and to compare various systems in different countries, i.e. not only in the Host Country but also in the countries of the Guest Officers who were participating in the Joint Operation.

It gives the possibility of sharing experience and knowledge. And, of course, it is a chance to go back to one’s home country with a suitcase full of impres- sions and new ideas for future lessons.

47 Frontex · Exercising Mobility in Border Guard Basic Training

6th Teacher Mobility Exercise

location: Romania (PA Bucharest, FP Constanta) date: 14–25 September sending countries: Belgium, Lithuania, Poland

Lukasz KUKIELCZYNSKI

position: Lecturer expertise: Radiometric border control institution: The Border Guard Training Centre, Koszalin, Poland

Teacher Mobility Exercises are very important Frontex activities and in my opinion they should continue, because the common core training programme recommends effective cooperation between officers from different countries not only at Focal Points but also during common missions and other exercises. It is a great opportunity for all the teachers involved to share experiences and improve teaching skills.

Vladas MARCINKEVICIUS

position: Teacher expertise: Border checks institution: The Border Guard School, Medininkai, Lithuania

Participating in the teacher mobility programme provides an exclusive opportunity to get to know the educational and training systems of the host countries.

Also, it enables an exchange of working methodologies and experiences between the participants, who are professionals in different subjects and teach officers in different countries. Furthermore, during this project the participants become familiar with the hosting country and its people, traditions, values and culture.

48 Lieve MATTHYS

position: Trainer expertise: Border police institution: The Maritime and River Police, Ghent, Belgium

During this Frontex activity I have had the opportunity to gain an insight into the working and the training methods of the Romanian border guards.

For me, as a teacher of the Belgian Federal Police, this knowledge is useful to introduce to my lessons. The TME is a perfect project for getting to know people who are active in the same field of work, as well as exchanging experiences and thoughts.

The mission had added value with regard to personal and professional experiences and contacts.

49 Frontex · Exercising Mobility in Border Guard Basic Training

7th Teacher Mobility Exercise

location: Romania (PA Bucharest, FP Constanta ) date: 28 September – 09 October sending countries: Cyprus, the Netherlands

Floris NIKANDROU

position: Trainer expertise: Sea border training institution: The Cyprus Police Academy, Nicosia, Cyprus

I had the chance to participate in the previous TME, which included only land borders. This time Frontex gave me the opportunity to participate in one of the two sea border exercises that took place in Romania. That meant new experiences and a unique opportunity for me to upgrade my knowledge and skills on how to develop training programmes for sea borders. The complexity of border control in the area of Constanta and the efforts made by the Romanian Border Police to secure the external borders of the EU are, in my opinion, best practice in the domain of border control and surveillance.

Maurice Sebastien VOS

position: Trainer expertise: Air and sea border institution: Royal Marechaussee, Netherlands

Joint participation in a project with a colleague from another EU country and the support of the host country at a border guard academy and various border & focal crossing points is a beautiful experience that takes you back in your own development as a teacher/trainer. The usefulness and importance of the common practice and insights are emphatically confirmed and can properly be pursued with the existence of the TME.

50 51 Frontex · Exercising Mobility in Border Guard Basic Training

8th Teacher Mobility Exercise

location: Lithuania (PA Medininkai, FP Medininkai) date: 28 September – 09 October sending countries: Italy, Latvia

Giovanni INTERDONATO

position: Head of Partnership Academy expertise: Specialist subjects institution: Guardia di Finanza, Nautical School, Gaeta, Italy

This mobility exercise has offered me a great opportunity to share experiences with BG colleagues from different countries under the Frontex umbrella.

I have been able to see how border guarding works at the green border, the techniques, the modi operandi pursued and the strategy of surveillance of BCP, and I have also been able to observe teaching methods.

Agris LABANOVSKIS

position: Lecturer expertise: Legislation institution: The State Border Guard College, Rezekne, Latvia

This mobility exercise has been a great opportunity to talk to the hosting officials directly involved in the process of border guarding and to share and exchange experiences and information regarding the issues of border surveillance and border checks.

52 53 The host officers responsible for the Teacher Mobility Exercises in MS Partnership Academies and Focal Points together with the Project Manager: the core binder of the project Student Exchange

55 56 Common Core Curriculum: Student Exchange Exercises

Aim

Enhance BG students’ awareness of the necessity for interoperability of European Border Guards by: n enabling students to benefit educationally, linguistically and culturally from the experience of training in other European countries; n promoting students’ self-reliance and self-awareness in their future jobs; n contributing to the development of well-qualified, open-minded and internationally-experienced young people as future BG professionals; n strengthening BG students’ professional competences in the field of respecting and promoting cultural diversity and fundamental rights; n sustaining the implementation of the CCC (the Common Core Curriculum for EU Border Guard Basic Training); n promoting the idea of BG interoperability

Participation requirements

Hosting Member State: Student profile: n two BG training institutions n be willing to participate in from two different MSs, the project and enhance their based on their own previous social, linguistic and cultural negotiations and having competences received the endorsement of n be into an advanced phase their national HQs of their BG studies n their students are trained n have an open-minded based on the CCC at the attitude and behaviour in same SQF level relation to other peoples and cultures n have English language skills at at least the B1 level

57 Frontex · Exercising Mobility in Border Guard Basic Training

Roles

Frontex Training Unit in charge of project management and Project Manager organisation

Project Sub-leaders support the project manager in the preparation, organisation, development and assessment of the exercise and recommendations for exercise improvement

Project Assistants n support the deployed students in reaching the objectives of the programme during the respective exercises n create the necessary context and the opportunities for the students to have a direct social and professional contact with their foreign colleagues at the Partnership Academy

Partnership ensure the necessary organisational and Academies administrative support is provided to the students

Participating n make contact with their foreign colleagues students in the other BG PA n actively take part in the activities of the exercise n exchange best practices in learning strategies as part of CCC implementation in EU BG basic training n observe and collect information related to the common legal basis for EU border guarding, the compatibility of border guard activities in the EU, the organisation and performance of BG’s daily work, the equal treatment for citizens at all EU external borders, and the promotion of fundamental rights.

58 Management and organisation

Preparation n all financial and logistical arrangements planned n official invitations sent n the agenda of the exercise agreed among the participants n class and leisure activities prepared

Implementation n negotiation of the exercise between two Partnership Academies from two different Member States n selection of students n implementation meeting – students’ deployment arrangements and the drafted agenda of the SEE are discussed and agreed by the organisers – concrete objectives are established and communicated to the participants

Deployment n two weeks, including arrival and departure, per one exchange exercise n host teachers and students welcome the guests at the Partnership Academy n classes, team-building, field visits and leisure activities take place n national uniform is worn at all times for visibility reasons

Post deployment n the students share the information and experience gained with their colleagues at home n the trainers share the information and experience gained with their colleagues

Assessment n by the project sub-leaders and assistants, in feedback reports n by the students, in online feedback questionnaires n by Frontex, in an evaluation report

59 Frontex · Exercising Mobility in Border Guard Basic Training

Catalina HARABAGIU-DIMITRESCU, Ph.D

position: Evaluator

The 2015 Student Exchange exercises were appreciated, as they were extremely interesting and beneficial, with significant potential for improving knowledge, skills and competences both for BG students and their trainers. Their language, organisational, interactive and intercultural skills have increased and the participants have been motivated to increase those further.

The students’ thanks went to Frontex, as the sponsoring and organising agency, and to the local organisers, for their hospitality and warm welcome. They were grateful for the effort put in by their trainers and for the professionalism, kindness, politeness, support and patience shown towards them.

The agendas were packed with learning activities related to the exchange of experience on the implementation of Common Core Curriculum topics, where the multicultural environment conferred substance and flavour: the funda- mentals that made it all worthwhile.

The students especially appreciated the mix of activities between duty and fun, working together in mixed teams and communicating successfully in English to solve tasks efficiently and ended up making good friends. It was exciting for them to see that there are different ways of dealing with specific situations at the border, according to country and organisation, but that they are still able to work together and the result is the same. The study visits gave added value to the exchange exercises and contributed to the awareness of the moral obligations to respect other peoples and their cultures.

60 Student Exchange

Hosting Countries

Germany

Romania

61 Frontex · Exercising Mobility in Border Guard Basic Training

62 Proud and happy to be in the Student exchange, one German and one Ro- manian student, Hanna Schlosser and Ionut Luc- ulescu, drew symbols of their twinning. Frontex · Exercising Mobility in Border Guard Basic Training

Germany

Oerlenbach

Official name Germany

Country code DE

Official language(s) German

Capital Berlin

Population 82.00 million

Total area 357 121 km2

Total length of border 4 555 km

Total length of internal border 3 855 km

Total length of external border Sea: 400 km

EU member country since 25th March 1957

Schengen member country since 14th June 1985

64 The German Federal Police Basic and Advanced Training Centre in Oerlenbach

The current police training centre in Oerlenbach was formerly a standby battalion of the German Federal Border Guard, tasked primarily with border surveillance. On 1 January 1998, the battalion officially redesignated itself as the Federal Bor- der Guard Basic and Advanced Training Centre in Oerlenbach. A further reform, in 2005, changed the name of the Federal Border Guard to the German Federal Police, to reflect the broaden- ing spectrum of responsibilities.

The Training Centre: n organises and conducts the two-and-a-half-year basic training for federal patrol officers in intermediate service; n organises and conducts practical training for police recruits in higher-intermediate service; n supports field offices with in-service advanced training classes; n creates, organises, and conducts advanced training classes.

The Training Centre in Oerlebach offers comfortable accommodation and modern classrooms and seminar facilities for recruits and course participants. Each year about 500 police recruits in intermediate and higher-intermediate service are trained in Oerlenbach at one of the various stages of their education. In addition to basic training, Oerlenbach is responsible for a variety of advanced training seminars via which participants are further qualified in specific police tasks.

The teaching staff also supports the faculty of the German Federal Police Sport College in Bad Endorf, especially in the summer months. The Sport College has created the “Bad Endorf Model”, which is a programme that offers top winter- sports athletes the opportunity to professionally train in their discipline and, at the same time, receive the education necessary to become a federal police officer after retiring from competitive sports.

The leader of the Basic and Advanced Training Centre in Oerlenbach is Chief Su- perintendent Thomas Lehmann.

65 Frontex · Exercising Mobility in Border Guard Basic Training

Markus KLÜBER

position: Trainer expertise: Politics and social science/languages institution: The Basic and Advanced Training Centre of the Federal Police, Oerlenbach, Germany

In 2015, we had the chance to conduct a Student Exchange project for the second time at the Police Training Centre in Oerlenbach. Together with the Romanian Partner Acad- emy in Oradea, we provided the environment for the students to experience the common approach for international teamwork. The current situation in Europe and at the border will show us the importance of Europe-wide cooperation.

This project has operated on a very high professional level. It has given me the opportunity to expand and enhance my experience while working with our Romanian partners, and it has given all of us the opportunity to strengthen our international cooperation.

Erwin RITTER

position: Instructor expertise: Police training institution: The Basic and Advanced Training Centre of the Federal Police, Oerlenbach, Germany

Considering the present circumstances at the European external border, the SEE gives us the chance to prepare the police students for Europe-wide cooperation.

The SEE was organised very professionally, and it has been a very interesting and beneficial experience for my career. The Student Exchange is a good opportunity for a better understanding of the police tasks at the border and gives us the support needed to improve our collaboration and knowledge for use in the field. Of course, the Exchange helps improve communication skills and the use of foreign languages. I was pleased to be able to work together with our Romanian partners. Based on the Frontex vision, it has expanded my knowledge for working on joint operations. I hope that the Student Exchange Exercise will in the future be a part of the basic training of European border guard students.

66 Romania

Oradea

Official name Romania

Country code RO

Official languages(s) Romanian

Capital Bucharest

Population 21.62 million

Total area 238 390.7 km2

Total length of border 3 150 km

Total length of internal border 1 079 km

Total length of external border Moldova: 681 km Ukraine: 649 km Serbia: 546 km Sea: 194 km

EU member country since 1st January 2007

67 Frontex · Exercising Mobility in Border Guard Basic Training

The “Avram Iancu” Border Police Agent Training School in Oradea

This school was established on 31 July 1992 and continues the tradition of public order and national security training which has existed in Oradea since 1919. It is an institution of further education (vocational education), subordinated directly to the General Inspectorate of the Roma- nian Border Police. The main task of the school is the basic training of operational border police agents, in two-year regular courses.

Other tasks: n further training of border police officers and agents via specialised courses in Schengen Acquis, police intervention, first aid, foreign languages, IT and da- tabases, etc; n organising basic training courses for border police agents from external agencies.

The school organises courses and exams for senior agents.

Ovidiu STANCIU

position: Director expertise: Law, human rights and management institution: The “Avram Iancu” Border Police Agent Training School in Oradea

Bearing in mind the complexity of the police tasks in the present international context, I further support the necessity for student exchanges among police schools from Euro- pean Member States; fact such exchanges offer a lot of benefits both on the professional and the social level.

Within these exchanges international police cooperation by using common working procedures and standards is emphasised, thus making the future border guards aware of the importance of the activities in the operational area by sharing experiences, good practices and team work as a common task to safeguard the EU’s borders.

68 Mihail ERLIK

position: Trainer expertise: Border checks and surveillance institution: The “Avram Iancu” Border Police Agent Training School in Oradea

I appreciate that this Student Exchange has been a successful one in which all the staff (PSLs and assistants, trainers, etc) have used their best efforts so that that the teaching activities and extra teaching activities were conducted in the best conditions.

The student exchange period lasted long enough to be effective, so that the students became familiar with the law enforcement structures in the two countries, i.e. the German Federal Police and the Romanian Border Police.

The teaching activities were divided into theoretical and practical modules, using training methods and techniques such as power-point presentations, interactive sessions, teamwork, debates and discussions, practical exercises, study visits, etc. The German and Romanian students socialised and communicated very well, using English as a common platform for communication.

I also feel that the students were fully aware of the work of the two organisations, as a common task for the security of the EU. During this exercise all the students have shared experiences, knowledge and good practice that they will be able to apply in their regular duties in their country.

During this exercise all the students shared experiences, knowledge and good practices that they will be able to apply in their regular duties in their countries.

As connections in other countries are very important, the contacts between the German and Romanian students will be useful in their daily work as future police officers.

69 Frontex · Exercising Mobility in Border Guard Basic Training

Adriana COJAN

position: Teacher expertise: German, English, communication, management institution: The “Avram Iancu” Border Police Agent Training School in Oradea

Bilateral cooperation is the oldest and remains, in some respects, the most important type of police cooperation. The student exchange between the Romanian Border Police and the German Federal Police brought added value in the field of international police cooperation, but it has also had benefits on the intercultural level.

A fundamental condition for people anywhere to work together is the ability to communicate efficiently and, for most of us, this means mastering a common spoken and written language, in this case English.

In the present international context I personally think that common working procedures and interoperability among European border guards are mandatory, which is why I will continue to stand up for the importance of these exchanges, which aim to ensure long- lasting professional support and expanded social and cultural competencies.

70 1st Student Exchange Exercise

location: Romania (PA Oradea) date: 20 September – 01 October 2015 Sending country: Germany

Trainers

Melissa HAUGEN WINKENS

position: Specialist teacher expertise: English institution: The Basic and Advanced Training Centre of the Federal Police, Oerlenbach, Germany

Europe is geographically and culturally diverse, yet the European community shares common values, goals, and hopes for the future. Our young police students will be the future faces of European law enforcement, and they will need to uphold this vision.

A Frontex Student Exchange is a perfect opportunity to bring students from culturally diverse areas together to learn and train in the context of our shared mission. Only in this way is it possible to respect our multiculturalism, and, at the same time, develop a blended European cultural identity.

Our Romanian and German students observed and evaluated, learned and taught, and laughed and enjoyed; it was incredibly rewarding to witness the interaction and personal and professional development of the students.

Also, as a trainer it is vital to share experiences with like-minded counterparts. We all realise what we can learn from each other as educators and leaders in the law enforcement community, as Europeans, and as human beings.

71 Frontex · Exercising Mobility in Border Guard Basic Training

Holger RUMPEL

position: Instructor expertise: Police training institution: The Basic and Advanced Training Centre of the Federal Police, Oerlenbach, Germany

This project on student exchange is an excellent opportunity to shift the mentality of the European border guard forces towards cooperation and interoperability. The exchange oc- casions educational strategies to be balanced and improved following uniform standards.

This exchange should be not only continued but also extended to include border guard students from other European countries.

Only in this way will the border officials speak the same language and ensure that all citizens crossing EU borders are treated according to the same rules and with the same attitude.

72 Students

Gregor ACHTERBERG

The Basic and Advanced Training Centre of the Federal Police, Oerlenbach

The programme is a great opportunity to learn about the spirit of Europe. Learning from others and the friendships we made with students from another country are incredible.

Thank you!

I enjoyed the second part of this student exchange as much as I enjoyed the first part of the project. It has been a great opportunity to show our colleagues from Romania how we train for police work at our school. I think both sides have been able learn from each other and it was nice to see that in many cases our ways of working are similar. All the tasks we had, we performed together, and the cooperation was very good. I guess this is the best basis for future international police work.

Fabian ALT

The Basic and Advanced Training Centre of the Federal Police, Oerlenbach

The Student Exchange 2015 has been very interesting; the schedule full of engaging topics and activities. The Romanian exchange participants were so kind, and we had a lot of fun. All in all, it has been a very nice experience, and we had a great time in Roma- nia. I feel fortunate that I have been able to take part in this exchange.

The Romanian visit to Oerlenbach was also nice and fun, like our visit to Oradea. Again, we had a full schedule with many great activities and a lot of exciting experiences. My favourite activity was the day at Frankfurt Airport; our Romanian colleagues were very interested and impressed.

All in all, the Student Exchange has been a very nice experience and activity.

Michelle BATZ

The Basic and Advanced Training Centre of the Federal Police, Oerlenbach

The time on the exchange was a great experience. It was good to see how other countries do their jobs, and I have also learned a lot about Romania, both the country and its culture.

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The exchange with the Romanian students has been a great experience. It was good to see how the Romanians learned something about our German culture and our system here. It was also good to see that there aren’t so many differences and that we can cooperate well together.

Kevin BÄUERLE

The Basic and Advanced Training Centre of the Federal Police, Oerlenbach

The Frontex Student Exchange has been a great chance to see how guarding the border is practiced in another European country. It is also very interesting to see how the work is done at a border crossing point.

I really enjoyed showing the police training centre here in Oerlenbach to our colleagues from Romania. It was a good experience.

Sascha BLANK

The Basic and Advanced Training Centre of the Federal Police, Oerlenbach

The Student Exchange was a nice experience for me because we could see how the Ro- manians work at the border. It was also a learning experience to observe the students’ lives inside as well as outside of the police school.

The Romanian hospitality was wonderful.

The exercises and excursions we had here in Germany were very interesting and both us Germans and our Romanian colleagues learned a lot from each other.

Markus BÖHM

The Basic and Advanced Training Centre of the Federal Police, Oerlenbach

It was great to see the differences and what we both have in common regarding our lives as police officers. I also enjoyed the stay and discovering their culture and the country, which will help me to work on a European level.

First of all, I was very glad to meet my Romanian friends again. It was a pleasure to show them a small part of Germany and to introduce them to our culture and police work. I hope that they were fully able to enjoy this visit.

74 David ERNEMANN

The Basic and Advanced Training Centre of the Federal Police, Oerlenbach

The exchange programme with Oradea has been a really nice and interesting experience. It was my first time in Romania, and I liked the country a lot. I made many new friends, and it will not be the last time I visit Romania. Thanks to Frontex for giving me the opportunity to take part in this amazing project.

Multumesc mult!

For me it has been a very nice experience to show the Romanian colleagues our daily lives in Germany. I have made a lot of friends and surely will be in contact with them after this exchange.

We had a lot of fun and we learned new things from them, and the Romanians did from us as well. We saw that our daily work has a lot in common but that there are also a lot of different possibilities to do the job as a policeman: for example there are different techniques for searching people.

All in all, I am very glad that I have had the chance to take part in the Frontex Exchange programme with Oradea and hope I can take part in such a programme in the future as well or even be able to work for Frontex some day.

Ibrahim GHANDOUR

The Basic and Advanced Training Centre of the Federal Police, Oerlenbach

It has been a nice experience to see how the border police work in Romania. It was good to see a true land-border checkpoint, because we don’t have those in Germany at the moment.

The Romanian people are very hospitable and I would like to go on another exchange if given the opportunity again.

The exchange has been a very nice experience for me and has taught me how to deal with colleagues from another country.

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Markus HAUPTMANN

The Basic and Advanced Training Centre of the Federal Police, Oerlenbach

The Student Exchange has been a great experience because, in my opinion, it is important for German students to see how a border police check between Schengen and non- Schengen countries works. Also, it is good to see that our training has a lot in common.

It was a pleasure to welcome the Romanian Border Police to Oerlenbach and to show them parts of our training. I also enjoyed working successfully in mixed teams.

Eugenia HUBMEIER

The Basic and Advanced Training Centre of the Federal Police, Oerlenbach

It has been nice to meet new people and learn about their culture. I was also excited to see the similarities and the differences in the training.

The exchange has been such a good experience that everyone should do it. It’s nice to read about another culture, but it´s better to experience it. It was interesting to see how the Romanians liked things here in Germany.

Franziska HUTTER

The Basic and Advanced Training Centre of the Federal Police, Oerlenbach

I’ve learned a lot about the differences between the German Federal Police and the Ro- manian Politia de Frontiera. They are all very friendly and I would do it all over again.

I have really enjoyed the Student Exchange with Frontex. I’ve learned a lot about the differences between the two police agencies. It was a very interesting experience to see how they do their job in different ways, but of course we had a lot of similar things too! I would do it all again! And I hope that all the participants of the Exchange 2015 will stay in touch.

76 Yesim KASAP

The Basic and Advanced Training Centre of the Federal Police, Oerlenbach

It has been a great experience. Nice people here! And I would like to do it again. I have really enjoyed this exchange; I’ve learned a lot of things about the two countries. I have gained a lot of experiences. And I have made new friends, really nice people! So, I hope that we all enjoyed this exchange.

Lebert MORITZ

The Basic and Advanced Training Centre of the Federal Police, Oerlenbach

This exchange has been a nice experience because we have been able to see how the Ro- manian Border Police work. It has been interesting to see the differences between their training and ours. The Romanian people are very nice, and I had a great time in Oradea.

The student exchange at Oerlenbach was very exciting, because we had the chance to present our police training. The Romanian colleagues were able to see a lot of different aspects such as driving training, shooting training, and scenario training. In this case, we could explain or discuss the differences in tactics between the Romanian Border Po- lice and the German Federal Police. I think it has been a nice experience for all the students and German trainers, because we got new points of view in some police situations.

Alexander POLITSCH

The Basic and Advanced Training Centre of the Federal Police, Oerlenbach

The Exchange has been very interesting for me because we have been able to see what differences and commonalities the German Federal Police and the Romanian Border Guard have. It was a great experience to see how they work at the Schengen border and how they deal with problems there. Working with their equipment was also very interesting.

The time in Oerlenbach was very interesting because we had the opportunity to show our equipment and our training to the Romanians. If I have the chance to join such a project again, that will be great.

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Luca RABAN

The Basic and Advanced Training Centre of the Federal Police, Oerlenbach

The Student Exchange has been a very good cultural experience. It is very interesting to not only see the differences in how we work but also to discover that we, as students and future police officers, have more in common than I expected.

I was looking forward to the second part of the exchange. I am very glad that I have had the opportunity to present and represent the German Federal Police in this project.

I enjoyed the time we were able to spend with our Romanian colleagues, and it was again very interesting to take part in all the different activities and see the differences in how we work.

Taking part in this project was definitely the right decision, I am grateful for this experience, and if I have the chance, I will certainly take part in this project again.

Hanna SCHLOSSER

The Basic and Advanced Training Centre of the Federal Police, Oerlenbach

I am very happy to have been a part of this interesting exchange. It was very valuable to see how our colleagues in Romania work. I am really looking forward to welcoming the Romanians to Oerlenbach!

The ten days with the Romanian colleagues in Oerlenbach were very interesting. It was great to show them our training and our daily work. We had a lot of fun together, and I will miss this time. I am very glad to have been a part of this exchange!!

Dean SOMMERFIELD

The Basic and Advanced Training Centre of the Federal Police, Oerlenbach

The Student Exchange has been a great experience. It has been very interesting to see the differences and the similarities between the German Federal Police and the Ro- manian Border Guard. I will take part in this exchange again if given the opportunity.

The Romanian students were very friendly. I really enjoyed the time with the Romanian colleagues. After the time in Romania, it was great to have the opportunity to show them our training centre, tactical equipment and techniques, and especially our culture and mentality. We really had a lot of fun together.

78 Jonas WERDER

The Basic and Advanced Training Centre of the Federal Police, Oerlenbach

In general, I think this exchange has been a very good experience for everyone. It has been a good mix between police duty tasks and fun activities. I have learned a lot about international police work and how police officers from other countries are trained; some- times it is similar but other aspects are quite different.

It has been an interesting adventure in that I improved not only my language skills and duty skills but also my personal skills.

Now I have a better understanding for the tasks and difficulties in international police work, and I feel more prepared for this job after our basic training.

Also, I have made a lot of new, good friends and hope that we all stay in touch!

This time, the exchange felt a lot different, because it was in our country. We have had the opportunity to show the Romanians how we work and the way we learn how to be police officers. This part has also been a good mix between duty tasks and fun activities, which I think is very important, because in that way we got to know each other better on a personal level and at the same time, improved our cooperation on a duty level by exchanging all kinds of information and asking questions without hesitating.

Also, it has been good to reflect on our own work by rethinking and answering the questions about the way we proceed.

I have learned a lot and am glad that I have been a part of this exchange.

Julia WINTER

The Basic and Advanced Training Centre of the Federal Police, Oerlenbach

The exchange with Oradea was a very good and interesting experience. The Romanian students are very friendly, and we had a wonderful time together. I expect we will have a great time in Germany as well.

The Student Exchange with Oradea 2015 was one of the best experiences I have had during my training. We learned a lot of new things; for example, about border checks in Romania. I have also made a lot of new friends, and I hope I can visit them again after the exchange. I want to say thank you to Frontex for making this wonderful time possible for us.

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Benjamin ZELLER

The Basic and Advanced Training Centre of the Federal Police, Oerlenbach

It was a pleasure to stay in Oradea, Romania. It was a great experience to see the way they work at the Schengen border and on their other tasks, especially at the land border.

We have learned a lot about their tasks and ways of dealing with different cultures. It has also been a good way of improving our foreign language, inter-personal, and professional skills.

There was also a good mixture between police duty tasks and leisure time. I want to say thank you to the Romanian colleagues and to Frontex for giving us the opportunity to participate in the Student Exchange.

Now we had the opportunity to show the Romanian colleagues the way we work in Germany as police officers. We were able to show them similarities and differences in the work. It was very interesting to see how they reacted when they saw how we work.

It was also a good time. There was a good mixture between duty tasks and leisure time. It was great that they visited us, and I hope that the contact will continue over the years.

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location: Germany (PA Oerlenbach) date: 01–12 November 2015 Sending country: Romania

Trainers

Vlad DOMOCOȘ

position: Training support expertise: Border Police training institution: The “Avram Iancu” Border Police Agent Training School in Oradea

The Frontex Student Exchange program is a great opportunity for students from different countries and with different cultural backgrounds to get to know each other and take part in different activities together as one team. Also, the social activities, the common dinner, sports, rafting and socialising, are important chances to learn from each other, because, even though we have the same basic training, there are many differences between the German Federal Police and the Romanian Border Police. Both sides have learned something from the other, for example the German students had the chance to see an external Schengen Border Crossing Point, and the Oradea Contact Point and learned there how the Romanian Border Police officers do their job. Even the small free-time activities were a good chance for us to develop a very strong team spirit; mixing the Roma- nian and German students together was a very good recipe for success.

The major purpose of the Frontex Student Exchange project has been to find new ways of international cooperation between Border Police and also to find new ideas for improvement using our generation’s mentality.

We were all really happy to realise that the whole project was a success. Everybody did a great job in all the activities we had, creating a nice and friendly environment.

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Vasile DOMUȚ

position: Head of the Border Police Tactics Department expertise: Border Police Tactics institution: The “Avram Iancu” Border Police Agent Training School in Oradea

Public order in the European family is important in the new demographic, geopolitical, cultural and economic contexts, and an issue of interest for all the European Union states. That is why we are proud of the success of this Student Exchange between Romanian and the German students, and are confident that this project will also go on in the future.

A very well-known Latin saying states that “practice is the mother of learning”. Of course, if we look at the feedback at the end of the mission from 2015 we can confirm that these two exercises have been the best so far.

There were a lot of appreciative words about the organisation of the activities performed in Romania, about the teachers, the trainers that led the working groups and also about the Romanian students, who are very well trained, from the point of view of the specific training, foreign languages, communication and physical training.

Dan ZĂPODEANU

Position: Trainer Expertise: Police intervention and sports Institution: The “Avram Iancu” Border Police Agent Training School in Oradea

This kind of activity is a great opportunity to observe the future of the European border guards, the mechanism of interoperability, and cooperation between future police officers.

We were present at the birth of friendships between Romanian and German students, we saw them give their best and we cried when it was time to go. Together with our German colleagues we had the chance to discuss CCC implementation and training methods and means, and we exchanged didactic materials and demonstrations during the lessons.

As a trainer, I had the possibility to observe the similarities between the two countries’ basic and further training systems and the fact that they can be successfully applied applied to the border guard tasks. The activity was very well organised, including various professional and intercultural moments, offering the students a different point of view about police training. I appreciated the Germans’ hospitality and their professionalism and all I can suggest is to look forward and continue the tradition of the student exchange!

82 Students

Larisa BARNA

The “Avram Iancu” Border Police Agent Training School in Oradea

It has been a unique and great experience, because we have met wonderful people. I’ve learned a lot of new things, I have made new friendships and we have had very good times and great fun. It was a pleasure to cooperate with these students and I hope we will keep our connection in the future.

I think the Student Exchange 2015 was a successful project, because all the activities we have done achieved their aims. We have formed friendships and that is the most important thing, because we still have with great and unique memories. We performed a lot of difficult and complex exercises, we learned new things, we saw how the German Federal Police does its work and I feel so grateful for the opportunity to take part in this project.

Gheorghe BISTRAN

The “Avram Iancu” Border Police Agent Training School in Oradea

It has been an amazing experience for me to be involved in this project. I have learned a lot of new things about me and another culture. Thank you, Frontex, for giving us this opportunity.

I have learned more things about the German Federal Police, about their work procedures, which are very similar to ours, with only a few differences. I am so happy to have been part of this Student Exchange, all the things about it have been positive. Thank you for this to all our trainers and their trainers, and special thanks to Frontex for the opportunity they offered us. After that experience I think we can be better in our jobs.

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Bogdan BOCEANU

The “Avram Iancu” Border Police Agent Training School in Oradea

It has been a great experience for me, and for all the students that have been involved in this project.

I’m glad that Frontex helped the students to meet each other and cooperate in different situations, such as at the border checkpoint. Danke!

I have seen how the German colleagues work and I have learned the importance of police duties, so I want to put all those things into practice. Also, I’ve made new friends and I am looking forward to keeping in touch with them in the future.

Alexandru BRÂNDAȘ

The “Avram Iancu” Border Police Agent Training School in Oradea

The Frontex Student Exchange for me was the perfect opportunity to share my experience and knowledge with other students of my age, to make new friendships and, most important of all, to learn from others.

Thank you, Frontex

I have really enjoyed all the time of the Frontex Student Exchange project. It has been a great help for our development as future border guards, I will never forget it and I am grateful for all the memories.

Andrei GAFIȚA

The “Avram Iancu” Border Police Agent Training School in Oradea

A great experience! I’ve met new people with different perspectives and also hard working students. It has been a good project which has helped us see and understand how the border police work in another country of the European Union.

It’s been a nice and interesting experience, I’ve learned new things about police practice here in Germany from the German trainers and students. Also, they were kind enough to show and explain to us their techniques; we have dealt with different situations. Thanks to this Frontex programme the EU has better trained policemen and policewomen that are able to protect the European borders.

84 Răzvan HARABULĂ

The “Avram Iancu” Border Police Agent Training School in Oradea

The Frontex experience has been one of the best and rarest of experiences; I’ve had the opportunity to meet new people and to collaborate, debate and create new ideas. It has also been a chance to develop new friendships across the borders. Thank you, Frontex!

This Student Exchange experience maintains the cooperation between police institutions from different countries. I am grateful to have been a part of the Frontex programme, because I have been able to learn about new procedures and new police methods. It has helped me open my mind more and I admire the Frontex initiative for making it possible. Thank you, Frontex!

Maria JIANU

The “Avram Iancu” Border Police Agent Training School in Oradea

We have formed great friendships with our German colleagues, ensuring good cooperation in the future, and we have clarified several key issues concerning the CCC.

After the first exchange exercise from Romania, where we presented our ways of dealing with different situations, our German colleagues presented theirs to us. We have changed our opinions about our jobs so as to see the best way of handling situations.

Adrian LUCA

The “Avram Iancu” Border Police Agent Training School in Oradea

It has been such a great experience! I am glad to have been part of this Frontex project: I’ve met my colleagues from Germany and we’ve worked together. We also had opportunities for socialising and finding out about their culture. I hope this experience will help us in the future with regard to our European border police experience.

I am happy to have been part of the second Student Exchange in Oerlenbach. It has also been a nice experience, because I have learned so many new things from the Ger- man students, about police practices in Germany, about their equipment and techniques from their trainers. I hope this Frontex project will also continue in future, because it is very much for the benefit of the training.

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Ionuț LUCULESCU

The “Avram Iancu” Border Police Agent Training School in Oradea

For me it has been a great experience, I’m glad to have been a part of it and I hope that this project will develop even more in the future. Thank you, Frontex!

Here in Germany, for the second part of the exercise, we have been warmly welcomed. Every presentation has shown the involvement of the trainers and German colleagues and we have put together ideas to improve for the future.

Sergiu MALIȚA

The “Avram Iancu” Border Police Agent Training School in Oradea

That has been a great experience where I’ve made a lot of friends and have met a lot of people. I’m very happy to have been here and I would like to repeat it anytime.

This has been one of the best experiences of my life. I have learned a lot of things from the German teachers and also the students. I would repeat it anytime. Danke Frontex!

Andrei MARC

The “Avram Iancu” Border Police Agent Training School in Oradea

I think that Frontex is an important institution for the European Union. With Frontex we have more secure borders and we, as border policemen, can learn a lot of things and can have good experiences with policemen from other countries.

This exchange of experience has been a great opportunity to see how another police system works. To work with the German colleagues and cooperate with them can represent the future of the European police and we can better protect the European external borders.

86 Alexandru NEAGRĂ

The “Avram Iancu” Border Police Agent Training School in Oradea

The Frontex Student Exchange has given me the opportunity to see how our German colleagues work as border police officers, how their thinking is and how friendly they are as human beings.

I think that this experience is very important for my career and I am happy to have been part of it. The Frontex Student Exchange has been an opportunity for me to see, do and learn a lot of new things, and to meet a lot of police officers, trainers and students, which will help me for my career. I hope that in the future I will take part again in another Frontex project.

Andrei OLAR

The “Avram Iancu” Border Police Agent Training School in Oradea

The Student Exchange programme has been a great experience for me; there are a lot of differences between our schools and it has been nice to learn about their procedures for becoming a German police officer.

This experience has been very interesting for me because I have had the opportunity to learn new and different methods and tactics that the German Federal Police use when they are on duty and I’ve had the chance to work side by side with our German colleagues and their trainers.

Loredana OTELIȚĂ

The “Avram Iancu” Border Police Agent Training School in Oradea

I’m so glad that I have had the opportunity to meet these friendly colleagues, who will definitely stay in my heart forever. The great experiences we shared together have helped me develop my way of seeing things.

Now that I have been in touch with the system of our German colleagues, I realise that even if we have different ways of operating and of seeing things, different perspectives, we are all the same, guided by a single rule: love for our country and people.

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Cristian PAȘCA

The “Avram Iancu” Border Police Agent Training School in Oradea

This has been a great experience. It has been interesting to meet new people, to change ideas and to make new friends. It was an experience that I would do again anytime. I hope to stay in touch with my new friends.

It has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I have enjoyed a lot. A lot of friendly people here have taught us very interesting things. I hope to stay in touch with my colleagues from Oerlenbach. Thank you for this opportunity.

Delia PAȘCA

The “Avram Iancu” Border Police Agent Training School in Oradea

The Student Exchange programme has been a new experience for me and an opportunity to meet new people. I have learned new things about Germany and also a lot of things about the German Federal Police and Frontex.

This Student Exchange programme has helped me to find out a lot of things about the methods and tactics used by the German Federal Police and I have learned things about German history. I am glad that during this programme I have visited interesting places, such as Point Alpha and Frankfurt Airport, and I have also met kind people.

Cristian PUIE

The “Avram Iancu” Border Police Agent Training School in Oradea

I am very thankful to have been here and I would like to let you know that this has been one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had. Thanks to you I have met friendly people and I have visited nice places; I’m very thankful for that and I would repeat this experience any time.

I am glad that I have met my friends from Germany again and we had a lot of things to do together; from this opportunity I have learned a lot of things about their culture.

88 Teodora STRĂUȚ

The “Avram Iancu” Border Police Agent Training School in Oradea

This has been the best experience in my whole life. I have learned new things about our German colleagues and now I can see the differences between our system and their system.

I have made a lot of friends because we had the chance to meet each other and I hope we will keep in touch after this project finishes.

Mihaela ȘERBAN

The “Avram Iancu” Border Police Agent Training School in Oradea

This experience has been something new and beautiful in my life.

How can I describe this experience? Nice people, a lot to learn from each other, a good experience for our future careers as border policemen. This has been an unforgettable experience in my life and I hope I will keep in touch with my new friends for a long time.

Radu ȘOD

The “Avram Iancu” Border Police Agent Training School in Oradea

In my opinion this student exchange programme has been very successful because of the fact that we got in touch with another culture.

This exchange programme has been an exceptional mixing between two different civi- lisations. We have learned to respect each other’s culture and hobbies and after all this remains an experience I can’t forget.

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108 European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union

Plac Europejski 6 00-844 Warsaw, Poland Tel. +48 22 205 95 00 Fax +48 22 205 95 01 [email protected] www.frontex.europa.eu

PDF version: TT-02-16-149-EN-N ISBN 978-92-95205-49-9 DOI: 10.2819/594622

Print version: TT-02-16-149-EN-C ISBN 978-92-95205-48-2 DOI: 10.2819/890493