The Command and Staff College is the Pakistan Army's staff college for mid-career army officers. As the Army Staff College it was initially established in 1905 at Deolali and later shifted to Quetta in 1907, Baluchistan, British India, now in Pakistan. It has been the alma mater of many renowned soldiers. After the partition of India, those staff not staying in Pakistan moved to Wellington Cantonment and formed the Defence Services Staff College.

The National Defence University (NDU), formerly introduced as Army War Course (1963–70), the National Defence College (1970–2007), is the military university with additional status of public university of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan focused on military education and training for the armed forces, including Pakistan military forces and two hundred foreign participants. Formerly established on 28 May 1970 at Rawalpindi, its academic principles are focused on command instructions, national security, military strategy, and war studies among other specified academic disciplines. It is one of the oldest military education and training institutes in the country with additional enrollments reserved for the civil servants.