The School for Strategic Communications and Information Security

What approaches is the Stratcom School’s training based on?

The Center for Strategic Communications built the work of the educational direction (School of Stratcom and Information Security) on Ukrainian experience and practice by implementing United Kingdom – Government Communication Service standards. 

School for StratCom was launched at the Center to train civil servants in strategic communication and countering disinformation. The program aims to train communication teams of central executive bodies and other state authorities to build resilience to FIMI through capacity building.

Target audience 

First, the training program is aimed at training communication teams of central executive bodies and other state authorities. These teams provide external communication on behalf of the state and are the “first line of defense” against information threats. Therefore, they must possess the knowledge and skills to combat disinformation while also developing expertise in strategic communications. 

The training of these groups facilitates the establishment of consistent communication approaches among state entities (one voice policy).

The training will also be useful for other civil servants, even if they are not directly related to communication, because today, each of us faces information attacks and must be able to recognize and counteract them. 

School of Stratcom and Information Security is mainly trying to introduce UK standards in Ukraine through:

• Training civil servants to counter disinformation, looking at the experience of Britain and its Resist 2.0 manual, in particular, the CSC has developed a manual “Russia’s hybrid war against Ukraine: Winning on the information front”. The manual introduces the main practical aspects of countering Russian disinformation and propaganda.
• Organizing training for civil servants at various levels, using the British OASIS model as an example of a step-by-step algorithm for writing and implementing a communication strategy.
• Writing professional materials, including manuals, methods, postulates, and brochures.
• Developing basic presentation materials for conducting various types of training based on models developed by the UK Government Communications Service. As an example, CSC elaborated the “Ten Keynotes of Strategic Communication” brochure – that is a selection of the main keynotes for a civil servant’s strategic communications.

The educational approach of the School of Stratcom is to introduce British experience in practice in Ukraine within the framework of working with representatives of communication teams of ministries, other central executive bodies, and other state authorities.

Curriculum format 

The Center has implemented a training session format. 

The primary advantage of this training format over other methods lies in its emphasis on practicality, interactivity, and technological efficiency.

Key training topics: 

• сountering and responding to disinformation as a way to increase the resilience of society
• strategic communication
• crisis communication

CSC in close cooperation with Zinc Network carried out research among civil servants, and it highlighted the most relevant topics for further training. Based on the results of the research, trainings were held on the following topics: 

• countering disinformation
• proactive and reactive methods of combating disinformation narratives 
• use of AI by central executive authorities

Moreover, with the support of FCDO CSC developed and conducted a training course (CHAT MODULE) on “Proactive and Reactive Methods of Combating Disinformation. Information attacks”. The course had a hybrid format and consisted of independent study with sent materials, homework tasks, and a Zoom meeting for discussing questions. The goals of the course were to increase the participant’s level of knowledge about methods of combating disinformation and information attacks and to form skills in detecting and responding to disinformation and information attacks.

The uniqueness of the School for Strategic Communications and Information Security

RELEVANCE 

The training is based on urgent needs in countering disinformation. Training topics and materials are constantly supplemented and updated, considering the most recent developments in the country.

TRAINERS’ EXPERTISE 

Every trainer at the Center is a practicing expert in the field, actively engaged in relevant activities daily. Moreover, if required, there are plans to recruit additional field professionals. 

The School team and other trainers have been trained at the British Global Communication Academy, receiving qualifications in two areas:

• Understanding Mis and Disinformation
• Campaigning Excellence

The acquired knowledge and skills are currently actively used in training Ukrainian communicators and writing materials, in particular, the Stratcom School has developed a communication campaign guideline for government institutions. The guideline was based on the experience and methodology of the UK Government Communication Service, using British examples that will help in developing a communication strategy following Ukrainian realities.

CONVENIENCE 

The training format includes both offline and online meetings. Offline trainings depend on the current situation in the country because safety is our priority. Furthermore, it includes the option to train government officials with different levels of knowledge in disinformation.

School of Stratcom was able to carry out the following activities from 2022 to 2025:

• more than 200 training sessions were held; 
• more than 2,000 civil servants on central and local levels were trained; 
• certification of two training programs for civil servants by the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service (“Russian Disinformation and Ways to Counter It” and “Strategic Communications in Public Administration. Crisis Response Strategies”); 
• trainings on “Campaign Planning and Strategic Communications” and “Crisis Communications” for representatives of local administrations and local self-government bodies;
• trainings on other requests (for civil servants, military, and representatives of local communities);  
• development of analytical manual “Hybrid war of Russia against Ukraine. How to win on the information front”. The manual tells readers about the main aspects of countering Russian disinformation and propaganda. 
• “Ten Keynotes of Strategic Communication” brochure. A selection of the main keynotes in a civil servant’s strategic communications.
• the brochure “10 Postulates of Strategic Communications” was created. This is a brochure about the basic principles of strategic communications and ways to effectively implement them.
• communication campaign guidelines for government institutions. The guideline was based on the experience and methodology of the UK Government Communication Service, using British examples that will help in developing a communication strategy following Ukrainian realities. 

Interesting fact: 

1. The idea to create the School for Countering Disinformation came in late 2021. The pilot trainings of the School were held in April-June 2022, and the official launch took place on July 21, 2022.
2. The first training at the School focused on narratives, essential messages, and the principles of their development and integration into the everyday communication of government officials.
3. The School also holds pieces of training for the general audience, usually school and university students and teachers. Online webinars are most often attended by younger generations interested in relevant disinformation and information warfare topics. Such webinars were held in cooperation with the Educational Center of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and are now freely available on their YouTube channel.
4. In recent years, we have expanded our activities and have now become the School of Strategic Communications and Information Security.