Developing Professional Competence Frameworks for European National Security Intelligence Practitioners

This article examines existing European and global competence frameworks to assess their suitability for security and intelligence professionals and reviews the frameworks employed by several education programs across Europe that train future intelligence experts. Focusing on regulatory standards and academic curricula, the study provides a clear assessment of current competence regulation, identifying gaps and misalignments while highlighting areas for future research to better align frameworks with the evolving practice of intelligence work. The analysis is grounded in the recognition that rapid technological advancements are reshaping security and intelligence tasks, and the expansion of intelligence-related roles demands updated and coherent frameworks. Highlighting gaps and proposing pathways for refinement, the article contributes to the ongoing discussion on defining and regulating intelligence professionals’ competencies in an era of technological and organizational change and thus contributes to ensuring alignment across European approaches. By integrating these three perspectives—the regulatory frameworks, the labor market demands, and the academic curricula—the article provides a comprehensive assessment of the current state of competence regulation for intelligence professionals at the European level.