Institute

Mercyhurst College has the most respected Intelligence Studies programs in this country.
This month, the program will take another step forward.   It will host an international conference on Intelligence Studies in Ireland.

"It's a natural step forward because we are the largest Intelligence Studies program in the United States. So it's a natural sort of leap now in the global market to say, "OK, now, we're ready for this," said James Breckenridge, Chair, Intelligence Studies Department.

Intelligence is the collection and analysis of information.  Mercyhurst will bring together representatives from all over the world, and from various professions, to discuss different methods of intelligence. They will discuss how methods used in one discipline can be used in others.

Mercyhurst will host the global event, but it's location will be in Erie's sister city, Dungarvan, Ireland.

"We had a great relationship with Ireland, especially Dungarvan," says Breckenridge.  "It's centrally located in terms of connecting North America with Europe and the Middle East. So we figured, let's exploit the sister city relationship, and the geographic location, and have the conference there," he said.

The conference will be held July 11-13.   150 People will attend in it's inaugural year. It will be an annual event with plans to bring it to Erie for at least one year.

Former US Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge will be the keynote speaker at the conference.  Dan Rooney, the US Ambassador to Ireland, is also expected to attend.