Starfleet Academy Extension Centers

[Kronok]

I have a strange question:

Can you be trained for Starfleet somewhere other than San Francisco?

For example, Solak of Vulcan attends the “Vulcan Starfleet Extension Center (VSEC)”on the Vulcan homeworld.

OR

Bajoran Mystic Vedek B’Trel is a Starfleet Engineer who completed his training on the Tellarite homeworld.

Thoughts?

Moderator Note: I am looking for narrator input as to whether or not a narrator would “allow” a PC to complete his Starfleet Training at his homeworld or system. This is why I posted here.

Oh, any canon or pseudo-canon (Novels, Comics, Etc.) references pertaining to this topic?

[Lancer]

I am sure there are a lot of "Academy Extensions" on other worlds used for the entrance exams and maybe to provide Starfleet personnel with a place to go for advanced training and refresher courses without returning to Earth each time.

OTOH completing your academy training any place other than Earth is something I would allow only with a really good explanation. My assumption would be that Starfleet trains its cadets in one single place not only to ensure they all get the same training, but although to make sure cadets start to work with different species from day one, to train them in interpersonal skills and cooperation.
Consider for example a Vulcan who completes most (or all) of his training on Vulccan. Right after graduation he may be posted to a ship with an all-human crew. As a recently graduated ensign he will be expected to work with people from many different cultures, but all he knows about them is book knowledge.
And while Vulcans may seem a little extreme for an example I feel the same basic argument could be made for about any species.

[Kronok]

Originally posted by Lancer

I am sure there are a lot of "Academy Extensions" on other worlds used for the entrance exams and maybe to provide Starfleet personnel with a place to go for advanced training and refresher courses without returning to Earth each time.

I totally agree; Betazed Counseling Centers, Daystrom Institute, Trill Scientific Academy, Klingon College of War, Etc.

Consider for example a Vulcan who completes most (or all) of his training on Vulccan. Right after graduation he may be posted to a ship with an all-human crew. As a recently graduated ensign he will be expected to work with people from many different cultures, but all he knows about them is book knowledge.
And while Vulcans may seem a little extreme for an example I feel the same basic argument could be made for about any species.

Very similar to what I had in mind. For example, a Vulcan could do his first year at Starfleet and do the rest of his 3 years on Andor learning Ship Tactics or something. Then, he goes back to Starfleet to complete his finals and be assigned to his Cadet Cruise, which would most definitely be on a Starfleet vessel.

What do you think?

[Dan Gurden]

In your own games... This is as open as you like. There is however an official line from Paramount. I remember when Don was talking about writing the NCO stuff for the LUG Players Guide...

Back then Paramount had been insisting that ALL Starfleet Personnel attended the San Fransisco campus... Sure there were testing centres at Starfleet Starbases, and specialist training centres (Venus and Jupiter... Both mentioned on screen, and both in a short flight time from Earth).

But I think this has to be a matter for personnal taste, and whether you believe that San Fransisco can possibly support a cities population and all those cadets that are passing through.

For myself, I dont spread the campus too far... But do have specialist schools, such as Survival training on appropriate planets, a Psionic/Diplomatic school probably with a campus on Vulcan and Betazed, Starfleet Medical in Paris, Flight classes out of Jupiter Station, and atmospheric flying/Survival and EVA at the Venus Campus... All that sort of thing...

I feel that spreading the campus out too far will alter the Dynamic, and affect the lessons with lag time for travelling and even for sub-space communications... But if you can justify a reason why a course would be better held on another planet, then go for your life.