Brno once again the center of world codification
At the turn of August and September 2025, Brno became the meeting place for codification experts from around the world for the seventh time.
The international codification courses known as NCS College, organized by the University of Defence in cooperation with the National Codification Bureau of the Czech Republic and supported by the AURA company, thus confirmed their long-standing position as the largest national training institution in the field of codification in the world. This year’s edition was attended by 32 students from a total of 16 countries in Europe, Asia, and South America. A symbolic milestone was reached with the enrolment of the 200th graduate since 2012, when the Czech Republic took over the organization of the courses from the American NCB College in Battle Creek.
Codification courses
NCS College was held in two parts: a one-week course for managers and logisticians and a two-week course for codifiers. Participants learned about the principles of the NATO Codification System, the creation of NATO Stock Numbers (NSN), international data exchange (NDER), and current trends in codification. The training was led by renowned current and former experts from the NATO Allied Committee AC/135, NSPA, national codification authorities, and industry partners.
Brno as genius loci
Brno is an ideal location for courses thanks to its strong background in military logistics. The University of Defence has long been involved in research and teaching of logistics and codification, and the city is also home to AURA, the supplier of MC CATALOGUE software, which is the most widely used codification system in the world. “Thanks to the synergies between the University of Defence, the National Codification Bureau, and industry, course participants have the opportunity to learn in a unique environment where theory and practice meet,” said Col. Petr Hlavizna, Vice-Rector for External Relations and internationalization at the University of Defence. The importance of the Brno courses is also confirmed by feedback from participants. “NCS College graduates are a key asset to the development of codification and logistical interoperability of our armed forces,” said Neil Ledwith, Director of the National Codification Bureau of Ireland, which has been participating in the courses since their inception in 2012.
Community seminar
NCS College 2025 ended with a community seminar entitled ”NCS College this year and next,” at which the organizers announced that the next series of courses will again take
place in Brno in 2027. The Czech Republic thus continues to confirm its position as an important centre of the international codification community.
Source: Review for Defence and Security Industry 4/2025