From 9 to 11 February 2026, the students of the First- and Second-Level International Master Courses in Protection against CBRNe Events at the Università di Roma Tor Vergata were engaged in an intensive Final Table Top Exercise (TTX), marking the culmination of a demanding academic and operational training pathway.
The Final TTX was coordinated by Dr. Michael Ian Thornton, with the operational and didactic support of Dr. Alba Iannotti. Over three days, participants faced two complex emergency scenarios: one chemical and one radiological. The exercise was designed to simulate realistic decision-making environments characterized by uncertainty, time pressure, and multi-agency coordination challenges.
Students were divided into mixed groups composed of First-Level (First Responders) and Second-Level (Advisors of Decision Makers) participants. This integrated structure allowed the simulation of a real command-and-control chain, with clearly differentiated roles and responsibilities. First-Level students focused on operational response, field assessment, and immediate protective actions, while Second-Level students assumed advisory and strategic coordination roles, supporting high-level decision-making processes.
Each group was subjected to structured evaluation sessions, including:
- Formal interrogation of each team regarding operational choices and risk assessment strategies
- Individual questioning of participants to assess technical knowledge, leadership capacity, and analytical reasoning
- A comprehensive “hotwash” session aimed at identifying strengths, critical issues, and lessons learned
The TTX emphasized interdisciplinary integration, communication flow, scenario analysis, radiological and chemical hazard assessment, public health implications, and coordination with institutional stakeholders. The pedagogical objective was to test not only technical competencies but also strategic thinking, ethical responsibility, and resilience under pressure.
The training cycle concluded on 11 February 2026 with the Lectio Magistralis delivered by Lieutenant General Giovanni Maria Iannucci, Commander of the Comando Operativo di Vertice Interforze (COVI). His lecture focused on hybrid warfare and emerging multidimensional threats, providing a high-level strategic framework that contextualized the operational scenarios addressed during the TTX.
The General’s intervention offered students a comprehensive vision of contemporary security challenges, highlighting how CBRNe risks are increasingly embedded within hybrid conflict environments that combine conventional, unconventional, cyber, informational, and technological dimensions. The lecture represented both an academic closure and a strategic projection of the competencies developed during the exercise.
The event marked:
- The final academic activity of the 14th Edition of the Second-Level Master in Protection against CBRNe Events
- The completion of the first academic year of the 9th Edition of the First-Level International Master in Protection against CBRNe Events
This integrated pathway—from scenario simulation to strategic reflection—represents the distinctive educational model of the Master Courses: bridging operational realism with high-level governance and security analysis.
A sincere acknowledgment goes to Dr. Michael Ian Thornton for the coordination of the Final TTX, to Dr. Alba Iannotti for her essential didactic support, and to Professor Pasquale Gaudio for his continuous scientific guidance. Special appreciation is also extended to Dr. Colomba Russo for her organizational commitment throughout the academic year.
The journey undertaken by our students over these days reflects a demanding yet extraordinary path of growth—technical, strategic, and human.
A new cycle is ready to begin.
The new editions of the Master Courses will start on 23 March 2026:
- 15th Edition – Second-Level International Master in Protection against CBRNe Events (Advisors of Decision Makers)
- 10th Edition – First-Level International Master in Protection against CBRNe Events (First Responders)
All schedules and detailed information are available at:
For further information and applications:
Together, we continue building competence, resilience, and leadership in CBRNe safety and security.
Write a comment