Peace Academy
The Peace Academy is a public university in Hurmu with campuses in Kaupang, Khojinacinggha, and Ghawlama, with an affiliated teaching college operated by the Society of Yeshua in Niš. It was inaugurated in 1694 as an officer's training school for the Hurmu Peace Corps. Civilians may enrol to other programmes at the university, such as peace studies, conflict studies, development studies, management, military history, nursing, medicine, and psychology.
The first cohort of peacekeeping officers graduated in 1697. In the first three years of its operation the Peace Academy awarded accreditation to 8,484 officers, of whom the top three-hundred graduates in each course would graduate with honours and receive a vellum scroll in addition to the standard digital certificate.
Beginning in 1699 AN the Peace Academy would accept direct applicants from the Benacian Academy, the Sarayzenana, the School of the High Inquisitor of Tiegang, and the Xingjunxue. From 1722 AN onwards applications from the graduates of Humanist Institutes were actively sought.
With the dissolution of the HPC in 1720 AN, following the 1719–1720 Hurmu civil conflict, the Peace Academy was permitted to continue in operation in order to train up the officer cadres of the successor formations, the Hurmu Fyrð.
A bachelor's degree in peacekeeping (or equivalent) is required for commission as an officer in the Hurmu Fyrð. A master's degree (studied part-time during employment in the Fyrð) is required to advance onto the rank of regimentsmester (equivalent to army colonel and navy captain abroad).
Doctrine and training
The Peace Academy is the unified and sole officer training institution for the Hurmu Fyrð, the territorial defence force responsible for protecting the Order of the Holy Lakes and its associated realms.
Following the reorganisation of the former Hurmu Peace Corps into the Hurmu Fyrð after the 1719–1720 Hurmu civil conflict, the Academy adapted its curriculum to meet the new force's requirements under the Charter for the Order of the Holy Lakes and the Senate Regulations on the Defence of the Realms.
Doctrine
The Academy instils in its cadets the core principles that guide the Hurmu Fyrð's operations:
1. Defence of the Realms: The primary mission is to safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Order of the Holy Lakes and its associated realms through deterrence and, if necessary, armed force.
2. Loyalty to the Holy Order: Cadets are trained to uphold and defend the Senate of the Lakes and the Order of the Holy Lakes, on the basis of an absolute oath of loyalty which takes precedence over all other considerations.
3. Professionalism and Discipline: Officers must exemplify the highest standards of professional conduct, personal integrity, and adherence to military discipline.
4. Combined Arms Warfare: The Academy emphasises the integration and coordination of all branches (Air, Land, and Sea) to achieve operational objectives through joint operations.
5. Peacekeeping and Humanitarian Assistance: In addition to territorial defence, the Fyrð is prepared to participate in peacekeeping missions, disaster relief efforts, and other humanitarian operations when called upon.
Training
The Peace Academy offers a comprehensive four-year programme leading to a Bachelor's degree in Peacekeeping. The curriculum covers a wide range of subjects, including:
- Military History and Strategy
- Leadership and Command
- Tactics and Operations
- Weapons and Equipment
- Intelligence and Cyber Warfare
- Logistics and Supply Chain Management
- International Law and Conflict Resolution
- Peacekeeping and Stability Operations
In addition to classroom instruction, cadets undergo rigorous physical and field training to develop the necessary skills and resilience for military service. This includes:
- Basic and Advanced Combat Training
- Specialised Courses (e.g., Airborne, Artillery, Armour, Infantry)
- Joint Service Exercises and Wargames
- Leadership Development and Team-Building Activities
Graduates of the Peace Academy are commissioned as Officers of the Fyrð (OF-1) and can pursue further specialisation through advanced courses and on-the-job training. A Master's degree in Peacekeeping (or an equivalent qualification) is required for promotion to the rank of Regimental Master (OF-6), which, as noted, corresponds to the army rank of Colonel and the naval rank of Captain.
The Peace Academy remains committed to producing highly skilled and principled leaders who can effectively command the Hurmu Fyrð in the defence of the Order of the Holy Lakes and its realms, while upholding the highest ethical standards of military service.
