{"id":7660,"date":"2026-08-24T18:51:11","date_gmt":"2026-08-24T18:51:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/defence\/7660\/"},"modified":"2026-08-24T18:51:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-24T18:51:11","slug":"kings-college-london-joins-defence-universities-alliance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/defence\/7660\/","title":{"rendered":"King’s College London Joins Defence Universities Alliance"},"content":{"rendered":"

King\u2019s College London has been named as one of the 35 founding members of the UK\u2019s new \u201cDefence Universities Alliance\u201d (DUA), a consortium of universities with interests in defence.<\/p>\n

The national network has been established with hopes to strengthen collaboration between universities and the Ministry of Defence on research and skills related to national security.<\/p>\n

The announcement comes weeks after King\u2019s revealed plans for a merger with Cranfield University<\/a>, marking another significant expansion of the university\u2019s involvement in the UK defence sector.<\/p>\n

Some King\u2019s staff have reportedly criticised the merger<\/a> for creating a \u201cmilitarised\u201d merged institution, with Cranfield known for its close links with the military, noting a \u201cworrying obsession\u201d with defence.<\/p>\n

King\u2019s is known for producing a significant volume of defence and security research; it is notable for its Department of War Studies, which describes itself as one of the world\u2019s leading centres for the study of conflict and security.<\/p>\n

Publicly, the DUA have said membership follows a \u201ccompetitive selection process\u201d and that it aims to coordinate defence-related work across UK universities amid rising global security challenges.<\/p>\n

According to King\u2019s, the initiative is intended to support research capability and economic growth, as well as improving the UK\u2019s resilience in the face of evolving security challenges.<\/p>\n

In recent years, pro-Palestine campaigners at King\u2019s have protested the university\u2019s relationships with defence organisations and companies connected to the arms industry, amidst wider scrutiny of universities\u2019 institutional and financial links to the defence sector.<\/p>\n

As part of the alliance, King\u2019s will work alongside other universities and the Ministry of Defence on areas including conflict prevention, diplomacy, peacebuilding, cybersecurity, health security, emerging technologies, robotics and the ethical, legal and societal dimensions of defence research.<\/p>\n

Professor Sir Bashir M. Al-Hashimi, Senior Vice President (Research and Special Initiatives), said \u201cKing\u2019s has long been committed to using, and sharing, our expertise and research to help prevent violent escalation, encourage conflict resolution, and bring about positive change as part of our tradition of public service,\u201d adding that \u201cas a founding member of the DUA we look forward to continuing to strengthen these contributions to UK national security and resilience.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Shitij Kapur said the university\u2019s involvement would allow King\u2019s to contribute its expertise while helping to develop \u201cthe knowledge, judgement and ethical awareness required for the UK to navigate complex security challenges in a rapidly changing world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Professor Tim Dafforn, the Ministry\u2019s Chief Scientific Advisor, described the DUA as \u201ca genuinely transformative step forward in how Defence partners with the UK\u2019s world-leading academic sector\u201d that would strengthen national security while supporting innovation and economic growth.<\/p>\n

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