Serbia: ICITAP-Supported University of Criminal Investigation and Police Studies Formally Joins INTERPOL Global Academy Network

On May 15, the ICITAP-supported University of Criminal Investigation and Police Studies (UCIPS) officially became a member of the INTERPOL Global Academy Network following an MOU signing ceremony between the UCIPS Rector and the INTERPOL Secretary General.  The Minister of Interior of the Republic of Serbia participated in the ceremony and underscored the importance of partnerships and collaboration as tools for strengthening global efforts to prevent and fight crime.  The UCIPS Rector credited the sustained support of ICITAP and the U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) in building its institutional capacities which made joining the network possible.  ICITAP Attaché Scott Hatfield and Institutional Development Project Specialist Maja Milovanovic also attended the ceremony along with UCIPS police cadets, administrators and professors, and the German Embassy. The INTERPOL Global Academy, a network of trusted law enforcement education institutions that support INTERPOL in leading a global approach to law enforcement training.  Members of the Global Academy support the creation and delivery of select digital and face-to-face training courses, covering INTERPOL’s tools and services, crime areas, and other law enforcement topics, focusing on cybercrime, digital crime, and counterterrorism. The UCIPS is the 15th member to join the Global Academy, alongside institutions from Argentina, Austria, Botswana, India, Colombia, Korea, Namibia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates.  Joining the Global Academy will enable UCIPS to access the network’s cohort of law enforcement training experts who can augment UCIPS’s current capabilities by facilitating discussions on regional crime trends, identifying training needs, and sharing best practices.  In Serbia, ICITAP works with the support of and in coordination with INL and the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade.