The Rwanda Peace Academy (RPA) has joined the International Association of Peacekeeping Training Centres (IAPTC), an open and voluntary association of individuals, centres, institutions and programmes dealing with peacekeeping research, education and training. To qualify for membership, an institution, organisation or individual must be engaged in peacekeeping research, education and training, and must attend IAPTC Annual General Meeting.The move follows the invitation of the RPA by the IAPTC Secretariat in Delhi, India, to their Annual General Meeting that was hosted by the Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operations Training (BIPSOT) in Dhaka from October 28th to 31st. A statement signed by RPA Director, Col. Jill Rutaremara, said the Academy was also voted the chair of the pedagogical functional group, one of the four working groups that include civilian, military, police, and pedagogical. "These groups are chaired by member institutions balanced according to four regions; Africa, the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific,” reads part of the statement.  "The membership into the Association will enhance the training standards of the Rwanda Peace Academy; keep the Academy abreast with contemporary peace support operations policy matters and emerging training requirements,” the statement said. It added that RPA will also benefit from the exchange of experience among training institutions regarding different training methodologies as well as an understanding of the different institutional perspectives and organisational cultures present among the military, police and civilian components in peace operations.