The study is devoted to the formation of future intelligence officers' readiness for continuous professional development in the educational process of higher military educational institutions.
Relevance of the thesis topic. As part of Ukraine's strategic course towards full membership in the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, special attention should be paid to reforming and improving the system of higher military education. Building a modern military education model should meet the requirements for ensuring its quality, professionalizing the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and organizing the training of specialists in the continuous professional military education system. This approach will ensure military professionals' continuous professional and personal development throughout their careers.
Ukraine's military education system is undergoing a large-scale reform, which is reflected in documents such as the Ministry of Defence Policy on Military Education (2022) and the Concept of Transformation of the Military Education System of Ukraine (2022). Particular attention is paid to creating a multi-level system of continuous professional military education that meets the most effective national and international practices and considers combat operations' experience.
The process of training future intelligence officers requires an integrated approach that ensures not only the acquisition of specialized knowledge and skills but also the formation of readiness for continuous professional development to ensure systematic professional development, adaptation to new conditions of service, and maintaining a high level of combat readiness.
The first section – «Formation of Future Intelligence Officers' Readiness for Continuous Professional Development as a Topical Scientific and Pedagogical Issue» – analyses the scientific and pedagogical literature on developing the research problem. It is established that in the works of Ukrainian and foreign scholars, certain aspects of forming the readiness of future officers for continuous professional development are partially considered. In particular, the author examines the issues of professional subjectivity, methodological and methodological approaches to the professional training of future officers, the development of leadership and self-educational competencies as key components of continuous professional development and career growth, the formation of creativity, initiative, adaptability, and stress resistance of future officers. However, it has been found that the problem of forming the readiness of future intelligence officers for continuous professional development in the educational process of higher military institutions has not been the subject of a separate scientific study.
The essence of the basic concepts of the study is defined, in particular, such as «readiness», «formation of readiness», «continuous professional development», «readiness for continuous professional development», «future intelligence officer». The author formulates his definition of the key concept of the study' formation of future intelligence officers' readiness for continuous professional development 'and defines the structure of future intelligence officers' readiness for continuous professional development, which includes three components: cognitive, operational, and motivational.
The second chapter – «Pedagogical Conditions for Forming the Readiness of Future Intelligence Officers for Continuous Professional Development in the Educational Process of Higher Military Educational Institutions» – analyses the system of continuous professional development of officers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which covers professional development throughout their career and harmoniously integrates formal and non-formal education. Higher education is realized through formal education, while non-formal education includes professional military and advanced training. A bachelor's degree involves simultaneously completing a relevant study program at a higher military educational institution and mastering the programs of basic (L-1A) and professional (L-1B) tactical-level professional education courses. The process of obtaining a master's degree is implemented at three levels: tactical (L-1C), operational (L-3), and strategic (L-4, L-5). In addition to obtaining formal higher education, officers regularly attend refresher courses to acquire new and improving existing military professionals, military specialized, and general competencies. Such courses are provided at all stages of a military career, ensuring officers' continuous professional development at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels.
