The Commander of the Institute of Aeronautical Military Sciences, Gen. B.A. Giovanni Francesco Adamo, and the Esteemed Rector of the University of Florence, Professor Alessandra Petrucci, presided over the closing ceremony of the 15th Master's degree.
Friday 23 February concluded, at the Aula Magna of the’Air Force Military Sciences Institute in Florence (ISMA), the training path for Captains of the normal role of the Air Force, obtaining the Master's Degree (Second Cycle) in “Leadership and Strategic Analysis”.
The teaching activity started last September and concluded with the examinations of the Florentine University. The attendees, 96 Captains of the Air Force, belong to the Navigant, Weapons, Supply Corps, and Air Force Engineering Ordinary Roles. The advanced training course, a second-level University Master's degree jointly managed by the Florentine university institution and the Armed Force, is divided into ten modules that develop according to a complex teaching process consisting of lectures and exercises, led by university professors, AM instructors, and military trainers also from the Defence Staff.
The ceremony was opened by the speech of Air Vice-Marshal Giovanni Francesco Adamo, Commander of the Institute of Aeronautical Military Sciences, who, after thanking the University of Florence for the high quality of the postgraduate course offered to the Air Force Captains, wished to highlight what the Master's degree represents for the young Officers, namely “a long period of growth and training” which allows “profitable exchange from which arises that added value of mutual knowledge that is difficult to replicate in any other way”.
It Capo Corso from the 15th Master, Captain Gabriella Catania, in representation of all attendees, applauds the ISMA staff for the support provided during the long and difficult course of study and for the high level of training that the University of Florence and its teachers have provided to the Course:“We conclude this course aware of the challenges that await us, and above all, that the solution to them cannot be found in any manual, but only by bringing together, with due judgment, three fundamental elements: the skills of the staff, relationships, and the vast wealth of experience left to us by over one hundred years of aeronautical history.”This course, continues Captain Catania: “it has allowed us to tackle dynamics and issues that we will encounter throughout our careers, but above all we have had the opportunity to confront future scenarios that the Armed Force is heading towards, such as the need for change and innovation”.
Subsequently, the intervention of Master's Coordinator, Prof. Luciano Bozzo, a lecturer at the “Cesare Alfieri” School of Political Science at the University of Florence, summarises a deeply significant period for both the University of Florence and the Air Force, highlighting the joint effort of the two Florentine institutions to provide a constantly evolving and up-to-date course. He finally thanked the Captains for the commitment, passion, and dedication they have shown in achieving the coveted title, also remembering all the officers who died in service and attended this Master's degree in past years, emphasizing how: “This profession, in service of the homeland and free institutions, should be viewed as a true mission rather than just a job, and it entails personal sacrifices, sacrifices for families, and risks not inherent in other roles.”.
Furthermore, ... intervened. Magnificent Rector of the University of Florence Alessandra Petrucci who drew a parallel between the Air Force and the University of Florence, stating that both recently celebrated their 100th anniversary:“Last year, we remembered the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Air Force, constantly committed to the safety of our skies. This year, however, marks the 100th anniversary of our University, and this Master's degree is a point of pride in our educational offering, as it seals a fruitful collaboration with an Institution, the Air Force, which has an ancient tradition and is a benchmark of excellence on the international stage. She then addressed the attending officers: “It's exciting to see you here today, knowing that your uniform carries with it renewed and more complex knowledge, made up of behavioural and technical elements, managerial and leadership skills, the ability to critically analyse political, economic, and social phenomena, even at an international level, and an appreciation for air power.”.
The’Air Force Military Sciences Institute, dependent on Air Force Schools Command., aside from the Normal Course Master it is the seat of further significant training moments envisaged for the ranks of Major/Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel for Officers who will assume the function of Group and Department Commander; to these, the Seminar for Brigade Generals has been added, which offers a clear opportunity for reflection, during which to exchange experiences and knowledge, as well as to strengthen analytical tools and stimulate the strategic thinking of the future leaders of the Armed Force. Within ISMA, the operational Department for Didactic and Managerial Training, which is tasked with carrying out in-person and distance training activities (e-learningand relative research/development in the fields of teaching methodologies and managerial competences, especially in collaboration with the University of Florence. By virtue of this, the Department is a “focal point” within the Italian Air Force for methodology e-learning and for leadership training.
