Defence Higher Education Trainer

Priority will be given to Defence Academy staff.

The Defence Higher Education Trainer (DHET) course is an in-house 3.5 day introduction to facilitating adult learning in the military higher education and further education environments. The Defence Trainer Capability Project was a review of defence training carried out between 2013 and 2014. One specific focus of the project was Work Stream 10: Directing Staff Skills Workshop (DSSW) Report (2014). In the report it was noted that Defence Academy directing staff (DS) do not deliver skills lessons nor do they formally plan and prepare lessons. Rather, in the main they facilitate learning interventions such as guided discussions and scenario-based activities often supported by member of the academic DS.

The aim of DHET is to provide you with a greater focus on non-directive facilitative delivery techniques that emphasises the importance of adult learning theory supporting the adoption of a learner centric approach. The DHET is endorsed by MOD Head Office (Talent, Skills, Learning and Development (TSLD)).

Please note: all our courses will be open for application 6 months prior to the course start date and will appear in the 'Planned dates' box when we are accepting applications. Once application capacity for a singular course iteration has been reached, these course dates will be removed from the 'Planned dates' box. In the table below you can see all course iterations for the full training year and when they will become open for application. For further information please refer to the 2025DIN07-019-Defence Centre for Training Support (DCTS) course information and instruction, which can be found on MODNET.

Applications will be closed no later than 8 weeks prior to the course start date.

Defence Higher Education Training (standard) – planned courses TY26/27

What you will learn

The DHET course is designed for Defence Academy DS and will train you to facilitate adult learning in the military higher education and further education environments.

The course focuses primarily on individuals delivering professional military education to a course, class or syndicate in the Joint Service Command and Staff College.

The course will offer you practical guidance on adult teaching techniques such as facilitation, the management of syndicate room discussions, engaging adult learners, the planning and designing learning activities and managing student welfare.

How this course will help your career

The course is mandatory training for Defence Academy staff in developing their teaching skills. The facilitation techniques and models taught on the course can be utilised in several different contexts such as for team building sessions and collaborative problem solving.

Who can attend this course

• Industry
• Military
• MOD civil servants
• Partners across government (PAG)

You should use the priority matrix below to identify where you best fall as a priority for the course. On receipt of application acknowledgement and student justification form from DCTS, you are to list your priority number and return the student justification detailing why you fall within the below priority.

Notes for unit justification:
1.    OF3/C2 contact and detail outlining the situation with numbers of posts, filled/gapped and how many of the filled ones are not yet qualified.
2.    Extracts of customer executive board (including working groups) records of decision.
3.    Extracts from the commander's risk assessment or self-assessment report, or other formal staff product which notes the risk (risk register, etc.)

For all DHET international enquiries, please refer to the DHET (International) course page

Before you attend

No prior experience of facilitation or teaching is required, to attend the course.

There is pre-course e-Learning package that will take you around 90 minutes to complete.

How the course will be taught

• Face-to-face