The CIOR Language Academy (CLA) teaches English and French as a second language, emphasizing a NATO military lexicon while at the same time providing an orientation to CIOR. The instructors, qualified reserve officers as well as skilled linguists and teachers, are provided by CIOR member nations and are selected through a competitive process.
CLA Students
CLA is open to Reserve Officers and Senior Non-Commissioned Officers below 60 years of age, or with residual service remaining. Active Duty / Regular Officers and Senior NCOs are also welcome as a second priority. Civilians with military affiliations may also apply and will be considered on a case by case basis. The course is not suitable for beginners. All applicants should consider attendance at the academy as a progression tool in their military career.
The students are NATO reserve officers and active duty officers from the democracies of Europe, America and Canada. Through the Language Academy, they are provided an essential and indispensable tool to carry out international NATO business:
the ability to communicate in one of NATO’s two official languages.
The summer academy runs annually for two weeks in a different host nation. Previous hosts have included Estonia, Poland, Spain, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Moldova, Turkey and The Republic of North Macedonia. Students on both the English course (EFL) and French course (FFL) have the opportunity to sit the STANAG language examination run by Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) at level 2 and 3. This language qualification is required for careers and deployments within NATO and is much sought after.Established in 2000
The CLA was a CIOR initiative in support of the Partnership for Peace programme and to date has taught more than 400 officers from across 27 nations. In 2008 the first examinations were introduced to the FFL course, with EFL examinations following in 2010.In 2017 the CLA was re-developed to address the needs of the modern-day military. Links have become established with the NRFC and SHAPE in Brussels as well as Westpoint USA and the Paris Staff Officer College. In 2018 a record number of 130 students applied for the 100 spaces. In 2019 the academy developed a new social programme and set out new criteria to encourage diversity in the student population. Since 2018 four students on the FFL course have been accepted on the Staff Officer Course in Paris.