Universities betray public trust by joining MoD ‘Battlefield Advantage’ alliance

A coalition of campaign groups has accused UK universities of quietly integrating themselves into the UK’s defence infrastructure after 35 institutions signed up to the Ministry of Defence’s Defence Universities Alliance (DUA).

The Ministry of Defence says the alliance aims to:

reorientate academia towards Defence and National Security.

It wants to strengthen links between universities and the defence sector, and translate research into “battlefield advantage”.

Campaigners say the move represents a significant shift in the role of higher education and has taken place without meaningful public debate.

Among the founding members are:

• University of Oxford.
• University College London.
• King’s College London.
• University of Manchester.
• University of Edinburgh.
• Cardiff University.
• Queen’s University Belfast.

Jinsella Kennaway, founder and executive director of Demilitarise Education, said:

We are witnessing the formal incorporation of Britain’s universities into the defence ecosystem. The Ministry of Defence is explicit about its intentions.

Universities exist to advance knowledge and foster critical inquiry, not to become pipelines for military research and defence recruitment. Students and staff deserve to know who agreed to this and why.

Campaigners are calling on all 35 universities to publish the governance documents and board minutes relating to their decision to join the alliance, and to explain whether staff and students were consulted.

Many UK universities already maintain relationships with major defence companies, including:

• BAE Systems.
• Rolls-Royce.
• Leonardo.
• Thales.
• Lockheed Martin.
• QinetiQ.

Critics argue that the DUA formalises and accelerates the integration of academia, industry and the state.

The coalition warns that, at a time of rising defence spending, universities risk becoming increasingly aligned with government military priorities at the expense of their independence.

Eleven organisations have endorsed a statement opposing the Defence Universities Alliance, including:

• Action on Armed Violence.
• Campaign Against Arms Trade.
• Stop the War Coalition.
• Quakers in Britain.
• People & Planet.
• World BEYOND War.

The universities listed as founding members of the DUA

• Durham University.
• Newcastle University.
• Northumbria University.
• Lancaster University.
• University of Cumbria.
• University of Lancashire.
• University of Liverpool.
• University of Manchester.
• University of Huddersfield.
• University of Sheffield.
• University of York.
• Loughborough University.
• University of Lincoln.
• University of Nottingham.
• Aston University.
• University of Birmingham.
• University of Warwick.
• King’s College London.
• Kingston University.
• Queen Mary University of London.
• University College London.
• University of Oxford.
• University of Portsmouth.
• University of Surrey.
• University of Bath.
• University of Bristol.
• University of Exeter.
• University of Plymouth.
• University of Edinburgh.
• University of Glasgow.
• University of Strathclyde.
• Cardiff University.
• Swansea University.
• Queens University Belfast.
• Cranfield University.

Featured image via the Canary