Public Awareness of Defense and Security (AL0083)

Brief Description of the Commitment

Public awareness and education are important because they facilitate the activity of public institutions and their cooperation with citizens in the field of Defense and security, increases the possibility for quality recruitment in this field, enables transparent and effective engagements. By providing the necessary infrastructure to create connections between science and industry, the Innovation Center at the Ministry of Defense would respond to the needs of the technology and innovation ecosystem in sectors such as defense, civil defense, cyber security and beyond. The Innovation Center (Hub) at the Ministry of Defense is considered a community where people can easily collaborate. The mission of the Center is to bring some first solutions to the problems faced by this sector, including problems that may arise at the NATO level. The Innovation Center is focused on the development of new ideas and startups by encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship, stimulating demand in the fields of national security, civil defense and cyber security, and building connections between important ecosystem actors, such as academia , industry, thought. -tanks, NGOs and non-governmental organizations. The Innovation Center will be open to the public, so it is not located in the same place as the Ministry of Defense, but will be located next to the new Museum of the Armed Forces. It is very convenient because this place is in the middle of nature and major communities such as academia, industry and military can easily coexist together.

Problem Definition

1. What problem does the commitment aim to address? This commitment aims to: 1. Acquaintance of the general public with new developments in the Armed Forces, the steps in technological innovation that Defense is undertaking, and interaction with interested actors in this field. 2. Encouraging innovation in the fields of security and defense to increase efficiency in processes, systems and tools according to NATO standards. 3. Participation in the design, implementation and evaluation of policies and decisions related to protection and innovation in the field of security, of a number of actors, whether state institutions or media, interest groups and civil society in general, guaranteeing that policies and decisions be sustainable and in line with strategic needs, and that problems can be identified at an early stage?

2.What are the causes of the problem? Lack of an innovative culture within the structures of the Ministry of Defense (MOD) and the Armed Forces (AF). Due to the very nature of the institution, the public faces protection and security only in emergency cases and does not know its institutional activity well. The contacts of the Ministry of Defense with the general public are limited. The lack of information is also seen in the low number of candidates who choose the Armed Forces as an alternative for their future education or employment. The number of recruitments for the years 2020-2022 has had the following trend: 49.64%; 58.71%; 55.71% of vacancies in the position of active soldier and the trend 113.33%; 116.00%; 77.50% of vacancies in the position of junior officers.

Commitment Description

1. What has been done so far to solve the problem? Institutional transparency has increased through the simplification of the language of communication with the general public, the organization of communication campaigns using social networks widely, proactive publication regarding the organization and functioning of the Institution; intensification of recruitment campaigns.

2. What solution are you proposing? • Opening of the Innovation Center; • Intensification of communication with the general public in all forms (directly or online through platforms and applications) in the field of Defense and Security; • Increasing cooperation with academies in the field of Defense and Security.

3. What results do we want to achieve by implementing this commitment? • Establishing and strengthening the Innovation Center; • Establishing and strengthening new recruitment centers; • More informed general public, Increased transparency, • Encouraging innovation in the fields of security and protection for increased efficiency in processes, systems and tools: • Increasing cyber security and improving the performance of MM/FA systems according to NATO standards; • Improvement through innovation of communication service, monitoring, detection or planning in security structures in the country; • Strengthening the processing and analysis capacities of satellite imagery, Photogrammetry and Geodesy; • Strengthening the ecosystem of start-ups in related sectors.

Milestones | Expected Outputs | Expected Completion Date

Development of innovative ideas in cooperation with the most important national and international innovation actors and programs, and civil society actors. | The opening of the Center for Innovation in Security and Defense (QISM) in the Ministry of Defense | S II 2023

Increasing citizens' information on the role and mission of the MoD and FARSH as well as on the creation of a sustainable defense system based on technological innovation. | Two communication/inform ation campaign of the MoD and FARSH on Defense activity | 2024 – S I 2025

Action Plan Review

Commitment 10. Public awareness on the role of Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces of the Republic of Albania