Prime Minister Kevin Rudd yesterday announced that former Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade secretary Michael L'Estrange would head up Australia's new national security college.

A joint venture between the Federal Government and the Australian National University, the college is to provide ''world class education and training in national security policy issues''.

Mr Rudd said the college would provide executive development programs for senior national security officials and provide access to ANU teaching and research programs, with the aim of ''better preparing national security personnel for the increasingly complex challenges they face''.

For details of the pilot development course held earlier this year and how the new school will be managed, see today's Canberra Times.