Alumnus Indrek Sirp recently took up the post of Director of the International Co-operation Department for the Estonian Ministry of Defence joining the prestigious group of former Graduate Institute students in key roles in administrations around the world.

The Estonian International Co-operation Department plans, organises and co-ordinates bilateral, multilateral and regional defence cooperation. It also organises the ministry’s international relations and protocol affairs, co-ordinates arms control and defines defence-related outreach policy.

Indrek Sirp was born in 1977 and obtained a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Tartu, Faculty of Philosophy, Department of History in 2001. In 2010 he earned a Master’s Degree in International Studies, with a specialisation in International History and Politics, from the Graduate Institute. Mr Sirp also attended courses at the NATO School in Oberammergau, Germany.

From 2001 to 2008, Sirp held various positions in the International Co-operation Department of the Ministry of Defence. From 2005 to 2008, Mr Sirp worked as Head of the Outreach and Baltic Co-operation Section, where his work included managing Baltic defence co-operation, planning and coordinating projects involving Baltic air, land and sea forces as well as defence-related outreach projects with Ukraine, Georgia, Montenegro and Afghanistan.