The Estonian Academy of Security Sciences (EASS) is an institution of professional higher education in the area of government of the Ministry of the Interior providing vocational, professional higher education and Master’s studies in the area of internal security.
EASS is unique in Estonia. It does not duplicate the curricula in other higher education institutions and the model applied by EASS with all specialities of internal security studies at the same institution of professional higher education is unique in Europe.
The Government of the Republic of Estonia established the Estonian Academy of Internal Security on April 15, 1992. Considering the small size of Estonia, it was decided to expand the academy’s area of activity to cover also the instruction of other specialists and officials of internal security. In addition to the specialities of Police Service and Pre-trial Investigation, the new specialities came to include the curricula of Correctional Officer, Rescue Officer, Customs, Defence Service and Border Guard. In 1998, the curriculum of Population Organisation was opened (replaced by the speciality of Administrative Management in the following year) and the Public Administration College was established including also the speciality of Customs. In the same year, the Government of Estonia decided to end the instruction of defence force officers and the institution was renamed as the Academy of Security Sciences.
EASS holds a strong Alumni Community. The total number of graduates of EASS and the schools joined with it (Police School, Border Guard School and Rescue School) has now exceeded 11,000, out of which 214 are Master graduates. The most important structural units of the internal security of independent Estonia now mainly rely on these people.
The academic structures of the academy include four colleges, the Internal Security Institute and the Language Centre. All the mentioned units are in direct subordination to the Rector, the language centre subordinates to the Vice-rector of Academic Affairs. The support structure includes the support service departments, the library and the Centre for Continuing Education (CCE) that are in the area of government of the Rector, Vice-rector of Development or Vice-rector of Academic Affairs. The structure of EASS also includes the governing bodies as the Advisory Board and the Council of the Academy .
The number of students has remained relatively stable, fluctuating between 900 and 1000 in the past 5 years. First ever institutional accreditation of EASS took place in 2011. It was the first institutional accreditation ever conducted in an Estonian higher education institution. The accreditation decision of the Estonian Quality Agency for Higher and Vocational Education on 13.06.2012 (in Est.) was to accredit the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences for seven years. Next institutional accreditation took place in 2019. As a result and in compliance with the Statutes of EKKA Quality Label Estonian Academy of Security Sciences is granted EKKA Quality Label. The accreditation is valid until 10.06.2026 (more). As of 1 June 2024, EASS has 97 academic staff members, 14 researchers and 160 administrative staff members. In addition, EASS engages ca 350 visiting lecturers.
The Academy prepares civil servants in four Colleges under the following specialities:
• police and border guard
• rescue
• prison service
• taxation and customs.
Studies are implemented on the levels of vocational training, professional higher education and Master’s studies as in both forms of daily- and distance studies.
EASS as learning, research and development centre
The Academy of the Security Sciences has created excellent opportunities for successful academic work, conducting applied research, professional self-development and cooperation with organizations for its lecturers and students in Estonia and in foreign countries. The EASS publishes research papers and other internal security and public service-related educational resources. Academy offers training courses to civil servants organized by the Centre for Continuing Education.