The European Session for Armament Executives
SERA is a session that traditionally consists of four weeks of training, two weeks in France and two weeks organised by two European countries; in this case, for the year 2026, Spain and the United Kingdom.
Objectives
- To provide auditors with a better understanding of current European defence issues, particularly from the point of view of the armaments component and the defence economy.
- To promote joint European reflection through the sharing of experiences between auditors.
- Stimulate open-mindedness thanks to the diversity of recruitment and the variety of activities on offer.
target audience
- high-level civilian and military officials working in national defence procurement departments or in administrations involved in armaments issues, particularly from a European perspective;
- senior officers in the armed forces, in operational functions or functions related to the definition of military requirements and planning ;
- senior managers of companies directly involved in the supply of defence equipment or in the development and research of security and defence-related technologies.
Admission: invitations are sent each year to the Directors General of Armament (transmission of an application file) in the autumn of year n-1.
Prerequisites : fluency in English and solid experience in the armaments sector
Educational triptych
Each year, a central theme of study is determined, based on current European and international events relating to armament issues, including their cooperative dimension.
The overall theme of SERA37 is: «Innovate, finance, scale up: building urgently Europe's defence of tomorrow».
The training cycle is structured around :
- 50 % conference-debates, which address a number of issues relating to the defence industry and economy at European level, the Common Security and Defence Policy and the security and equipment of forces.
- 30 % of visits involving military, industrial and research sites, with the aim of presenting a representative sample of the fabric that makes up the DTIB.
- 20 % of committee work, which is an opportunity for auditors to exchange views, discuss and deepen their reflection on common subjects and issues.
All sessions will be conducted in English.
Main theme
SERA 32
European defence and exports within a shifting world order: how to proceed to build a strong EDTIB?
SERA 33
"European strategic autonomy" vs. Nation first"_How to proceed in favour of European defence industry?
SERA 34
Recent evolutions in the geopolitical environment in Europe : how to promptly and effectively reinforce European defence capabilities?
SERA 35
Discussing the concept of resilience at a time of high-intensity conflicts, in a volatile geopolitical environment
SERA 36
Adapting European armament cooperation and the European Defense Technological and Industrial Base to current geopolitical developments, while ensuring acceleration, resilience, enhanced production, new cooperative programs, long-term innovation uptake, and guaranteed security of supply.
SERA 37
Innovate, finance, scale up: urgently building Europe's defence of tomorrow
SERA 37-2026
The session will take place from February to June 2025, with four weeks organised in France (opening and closing weeks) and in two other member countries of the session (one week in each host country). The 37the The SERA edition will take place in 2026 according to the following schedule:
- 2 to 6 March 2026, France
- 20 to 24 April 2026, Spain
- 18 to 22 May 2026, United Kingdom
- 22 to 26 June 2026, France
CONTACT
Last modified on :
