(g)        Inspector Trainee Evaluation (Module 1), a Secretariat draft paper dated 22 February 1995

(h)        Inspector Trainee Evaluation (Module 2), a Secretariat draft paper dated 23 February 1995

(i)         Progress Report on the Certification of M1 and M2 Courses Offers, a Secretariat discussion paper dated 28 February 1995

(j)         Module 1 Training: Use of Self-Taught Materials, a Secretariat discussion paper dated 28 February 1995

(k)        Assessment of Inspector Candidate Qualifications, a Secretariat discussion paper dated 28 February 1995

(l)         Illustrative Criteria for Eliminating Excess Training Offers, A Friend of the Chair non-paper dated 28 February 1995

1.5       A chart displaying the latest status of training offers will be distributed shortly (English only).  This chart will reflect current Secretariat planning, and is without prejudice to the number of inspector/inspection assistant trainees who might be trained in the various sub-modules.

2.         Summary of discussions

2.1       The Expert Group took note of the discussion papers prepared by the Secretariat on the status of training offers.  These papers drew attention to the following:

(a)        a number of the shortages in Module 2 (M2) and Module 3 (M3) offers, most of which have been offered without any requirement for the Secretariat to reimburse Member States for the training, have been filled by Member States;

(b)        a number of important M2 training shortages remain.  They are: block F1/F2 (On-Site Analysis) - 15 trainees; block C (Demilitarisation and Destruction of Chemical Weapons) - 56 trainees; block H (Inactivation/Conversion and Destruction of CW) - 19 trainees; and block B (CW and Conventional Munitions) - 21 trainees;

(c)        the following two additional shortages exist in offers by Member States for M2 training: block A (Team Communication and Management) - 41 trainees; and block I (Support to Inspection Teams) - 21 trainees.  However, the Secretariat is of the view that, with the offer of a low-cost full service training facility by the Host Country, as well as offers to provide selected instruction materials and assistance from foreign instructors, Secretariat staff will be able to present block A and block I training along with Inspection Planning during the final four weeks of the M2 training course; and

(d)        as regards M3 training offers, an important shortage remains, on the basis of current Secretariat estimates of inspection requirements, in offers for on-site
training at a CW destruction facility, for 52 trainees; for training at a CW storage facility, for 32 trainees; and for training at a CW production facility, for 32 trainees.

2.2       The Expert Group agreed that it is appropriate to continue paying a training salary to those trainees who are selected for positions as inspectors/inspection assistants at the conclusion of the 20-week training course.  It is estimated that this salary extension will be for three weeks.  Further, the Expert Group agreed that the Secretariat should modify its distribution of funds within the approved training budget by extending the trainee salary payment period from 20 to 23 weeks.

2.3       The Expert Group acknowledged that, although a more accurate estimate of training costs is now known, the Secretariat cannot finalise its overall cost-effectiveness analysis of the GTS plan because:

(a)        a number of important remaining shortages in M2 and M3 training offers must be filled and costed from a reimbursement perspective.  Also, some Member States which have made formal offers of M2 and M3 training have not advised the Secretariat of the reimbursement costs, if any, of the training; and

(b)        Secretariat staff have not completed visits to Member States that have offered the M3 training required to accurately identify on-site training programme requirements, on the basis of which Member States concerned would subsequently identify the detailed cost of the relevant training offers and pass on to the Secretariat their estimates of costs to be reimbursed by the Secretariat, if any.

2.4       The Expert Group agreed to use, as a basis for further discussion at its next meeting, the outline provided by the Friend of the Chair for use by the Secretariat in its acceptance process for the best training offers from Member States.  Four basic selection criteria were identified: overall cost; course effectiveness; impact on other training offers; and the ability of the Member States to offer training when required.  The Expert Group will consider other possible criteria that would assist the Secretariat in its training course selection process.

2.5       The Expert Group noted that the Secretariat has made a preliminary estimate regarding alternative and complementary training options to national offers.  With regard to M2 training, the Secretariat's estimate indicates that offers for specialist training that are not supported by national government funding could cost the Secretariat from Dfl. 3,800 to Dfl. 4,000 per student per week per course.  Where M3 training is concerned, the Secretariat estimates that offers for on-site training that were made without support from national government funding could cost as much as Dfl. 6,000 per student per week for students to conduct on-site training inspections.

2.6       The Expert Group discussed the draft Letter of Appointment for Inspectorate Trainees prepared by the Secretariat.  The Expert Group asked the Secretariat to clarify various statements contained in the draft, and requested the Secretariat to make a number of revisions to the document.

2.7       The Expert Group took note of the following observations by the Secretariat regarding the quality and diverse backgrounds of the current list of inspector/inspection assistant candidates:

(a)        the Secretariat had conducted a screening of the 1413 applications, using qualifications and professional experience as criteria..  On this basis approximately 49% of the applications did not meet the primary requirements set out in the Vacancy Notices; and

(b)        although this screening confirmed that there are sufficient suitably qualified candidates for inspector/inspection assistant positions as Medical Specialist, Analytical Chemist, Assistant Technician and Paramedic; it also confirmed that there are shortages in the number of qualified applicants in the other specialities, in particular for the positions of Chemical Production Technologist and Chemical Production Logistician.

2.8       The Expert Group took note of the following assessment by the Secretariat of the inspector qualifications contained in the applications as a basis for possible adjustments to the length or content of the GTS training modules or sub-modules:

(a)        any reduction in the overall length of the training programme would have a negative impact on the quality and efficiency of the candidates chosen as inspectors/inspection assistants;

(b)        candidates' overall lack of experience with regard to inspection activities and their lack of knowledge regarding the Chemical Weapons Convention and arms control and disarmament issues in general, indicates that all trainees must attend the entire seven-week M1 course; and

(c)        in particular, the content of M2 courses for technologists and logisticians might require appropriate modification.

2.9       The Expert Group discussed the benefits of a suggestion by the Secretariat's training staff that the Secretariat should host two special training workshops.  The purpose of these workshops would be to share the observations and experiences of training centre representatives resulting in particular from their respective "pilot course" training programmes:

(a)        the first workshop will focus on harmonising the M1 training elements among the Member States which will be selected to present the M1 course; and

(b)        the second workshop will be organised for those Member States selected to provide M2 specialist training, with a view to modifying course content where appropriate to better meet both the training needs of the candidates and the requirements of the Secretariat for well-trained inspectors/inspection assistants.

2.10     The Expert Group noted that the Secretariat intends, before the Tenth Session of the Commission in April 1995, to distribute its draft paper on contractual arrangements with training centres to those Member States involved in offering training.

2.11     The Expert Group discussed a Secretariat draft of inspector trainee evaluation criteria and procedures for use by training centres during the conduct of Module 1 and Module 2 training.  The discussion focused mainly on objective and subjective criteria and on the question of the fairness of competition among the trainees during the training period.

2.12     The Expert Group noted the progress reported by the Secretariat in certifying M1 and M2 training course offers, and encouraged those Member States which have formally offered M1 and M2 training to either complete their certification information packages or make the initial submission of their certification packages to the Secretariat as soon as possible.

2.13     The Expert Group agreed with the Secretariat's proposal that, in order to maximise the amount of time spent by the trainees in a controlled, supervised and interactive learning environment which enhances team bonding, the trainees should attend the entire 20-week formal training programme.

3.         Recommendations

3.1       The Expert Group recommended that the Secretariat:

(a)        prepare new drafts, taking into account the views expressed by the Expert Group, of the Inspector Trainee Evaluation (Module 1) and the Inspector Trainee Evaluation (Module 2) papers, and distribute the revised papers to Member States no later than three weeks before the next scheduled meeting of this Expert Group;

(b)        forward the Secretariat's discussion papers identified in subparagraphs 1.4(c)-(e) above to the Expert Group on the Programme of Work and Budget, requesting the communication of the comments of that Expert Group to the Expert Group on Training prior to its next scheduled meeting;

(c)        provide each candidate selected for training prior to the start of the Module 1 course with a set of self-help reading materials;

(d)        develop the following plans to host a number of training course workshops:

(i)         an M1 training course workshop, in order to harmonise the course content of the M1 training course offers;

(ii)        an M2 training course workshop modifying, where appropriate, the course content of selected M2 courses to better meet the qualifications of the trainees and the needs of the Secretariat for well-trained inspectors/inspection assistants; and

(iii)       a GTS workshop for all student evaluators in order to harmonise student evaluation criteria on the basis of the concerns expressed by this Expert Group about the objectivity and fairness of student performance evaluation procedures during the training period;