In January, a group of 15 IWP students became the first, or “Alpha” chapter of the International Association for Intelligence Education (IAFIE), the only truly international intelligence association dedicated to furthering research, knowledge, and professional development in intelligence education.
IAFIE’s board recently approved the formation of student chapters at universities and colleges with intelligence-related programs in order to better support its mission. Dr. Barry Zulauf, International President of IAFIE, stated: “I proposed Student Chapters as a way for IAFIE to invest in the next generation of our profession. We can provide a forum for students to showcase their work, an environment in which they can work with their future colleagues from around the world, and get them involved right from the start of their professional lives supporting IAFIE’s efforts to advance intelligence education.”
The IWP chapter had an initial organizational meeting in late-January 2020 with chapter advisors Dr. David Thomas and Prof. Aaron Danis. According to them, the chapter will provide a student-led organizational framework for IWP’s intelligence-oriented students and a vehicle for participating in increased intelligence-related events. For example, IAFIE is holding a local Student Challenge in April at Georgetown University and its annual international conference in London in June with a student essay competition that awards cash prizes.
“The IWP IAFIE student chapter provides students with excellent opportunities to exercise leadership, broaden professional skills, and to start networking with other future intelligence professionals,” according to Dr. Thomas.
IWP students are eligible to join if they are enrolled in the IWP Strategic Intelligence Studies program, in the Intelligence Specialization in one of IWP’s other M.A. programs, in either the Intelligence or Counterintelligence Graduate Certificates, or in The Cyber Intelligence Initiative. IWP covers the annual membership fee. Students meeting the criteria who are interested in joining should contact Prof. Danis at his IWP e-mail.