Following focused sessions on problem framing, national security perspectives, and the responsible use of AI in security strategy – not to mention a winter blast that provided a distinctly Bavarian backdrop – the inaugural Strategic Competition and Russia course has concluded its opening week.

The course next moves into its core phase, where participants will immerse themselves in the central themes reflected in both the course title and the Marshall Center’s reimagined resident program model.

“The participants received a tremendous amount of information. They were engaged. They were dynamic. They learned a lot from each other,” said U.S. Marine Corps Col. Adam Jeppe, course lead. “They are more than ready, they're chomping at the bit to talk about strategic competition and Russia, that's for sure.”

Since beginning the curriculum Jan. 26, participants have engaged with expert panels, exchanged ideas through security dialogue, and worked solutions to real security challenges drawn from their home nations and institutions.

“This course is designed not just to help you understand Russia, but to help you think, write, and act strategically in a competitive world,” said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Courtney Clarksen, course co-lead and military professor.

With foundational skills and strategic frameworks now established, the next phase of the course shifts toward applying those insights to develop strategies that are both nationally grounded and internationally aligned.

“They have to get the basics of strategy, so in week four, in the capstone, they can develop a strategy that addresses some of the issues that they've brought.” Jeppe said. “Next week is a dynamic engagement with speakers and themselves focusing on how to compete strategically, whether you're a large state or a small state.”

The first of four resident courses taking place at the Marshall Center in 2026, Strategic Competition and Russia focuses on Russia’s evolving role and impact to global security, NATO and EU responses, and the tools of statecraft that shape strategic competition.