Training activities throughout the OSCE are guided by a three-year strategic plan approved by the Permanent Council (PC). Every three years the PC revises the strategy to reflect the specific needs of the Organization at the time.

The current OSCE Training Strategy was approved by the PC in December 2010 and covers the years 2011 to 2013.

Main features of the new strategy:

• It builds on the former training strategy, maintaining core principles and modernizing methodologies;
• It is based upon a joint management and staff-owned approach, incorporating an OSCE training network of focal points in Institutions and in Field Operations, as well as internal consultation processes, quality control, and so on;
• It seeks to enhance the co-ordination of training policies and activities as well as the development of synergies;
• It favours co-operation with participating States, other international organizations and training institutions;
• It seeks to enhance the ability of the OSCE Secretariat, Institutions and Field Operations to carry out their mandates and tasks as decided by the participating States.

Priorities of the current strategy:

• Strengthening processes for assessing training needs Organization-wide, evaluating training activities and developing monitoring mechanisms;
• Developing a leadership training programme for senior management, allowing peer exchange and promoting consistent application of managerial tools;
• Supporting the definition and implementation of a participatory management culture;
• Fostering and supporting an OSCE knowledge and experience base to facilitate lessons learned and maintain institutional memory;
• Exchanging best practices and co-operating between participating States in the field of pre-mission training supported by the OSCE Training co-ordinator;
• Further building on partnerships and joint training ventures with other organizations;
• Ensuring broad access to appropriate orientation activities and  induction courses for all new OSCE staff and mission members;
• Ongoing training activities to support organizational processes and operational tasks,  and to improve operational effectiveness;
• Fostering managerial skills at all management levels, aiming for consistent application of managerial tools;
• Teambuilding training to strengthen shared understanding and commitment of respective activities and improved team communication;
• The roll-out of an organization-wide ethics training programme, using online training tools;
• Further strengthening expertise with regard to human rights and related areas;
• Ensuring administrative proficiency across the Organization, including through the use of organization tools such as IRMA and Doc.In.