KCL student group speaks out against merger with “highly militarised” Cranfield University

On 14 May, King’s College London (KCL) and Cranfield University announced that the two institutions planned to merge following August 2027. However, student-led activist coalition KCL Stands for Justice (KCL SfJ) has spoken out against the merger, due to Cranfield’s deep links to the arms industry.

In a statement on social media, KCL SfJ wrote that:

Cranfield reported an £8.2m deficit for 2024-25, and KCL is stepping in to absorb all of its debt and financial obligations.

How does KCL justify taking on millions in debt while its own staff are forced to work multiple jobs and live outside London because their pay rises don’t even meet inflation?

Simple, management is sacrificing staff livelihoods to directly benefit from and integrate with the military-industrial complex.

*Oh, and don’t forget Vice-Chancellor Shitij Kapoor earns over £300k a year.

Over the 2023-24 financial year, Cranfield actually made a £29m surplus. However, its fortunes suddenly plummeted in 2024/25, which the university blamed on a drop in international student recruitment.

The universities insist that the merger will not necessitate job losses. However, KCL stated that:

In merging with Cranfield, King’s, as the larger partner, will take on Cranfield’s assets and liabilities, including borrowing commitments

In return, KCL hopes to benefit from Cranfield’s “longstanding partnerships with industry and government”.

KCL and ‘Longstanding partnerships’

So, what do those “longstanding partnerships” look like exactly? Cranfield began life in 1946 as the College of Aeronautics, specialising in aircraft research and design. It’s now a predominantly postgraduate institution specialising in technology, management and applied research.

Part of that ‘applied research‘ includes COTEC, the Cranfield Ordnance Test and Evaluation Centre. KCL SfJ claimed that:

– COTEC built a dedicated arena to physically test the fragmentation and velocity of 155mm high-explosive shells for Rheinmetall Italia.
– In January 2024, Rheinmetall delivered 10,000 rounds of precision tank ammunition to Israel.
– Rheinmetall partnered with the Israeli genocide manufacturer, Elbit Systems, to co-develop a fully-automated wheeled 155mm self-propelled howitzer – the type of artillery weapon used to fire 155mm shells.

Likewise, Cranfield has also boasted of its:

enduring partnerships with organisations such as Airbus, Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems

Airbus subsidiary Airbus DS Airborne Solutions has a long-running partnership with the state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries.

Rolls-Royce is a major supplier for the Israeli military (IOF). In particular, the company signed a $180m dollar contract to supply diesel engines for the IOF’s Eitan APC.

Likewise, BAE Systems has held four military export licences to Israel since 2021. This includes the company’s role as the main UK company involved in the production of F-35 aircraft, which is also used by the IOF.

Israeli military links

KCL SfJ also highlighted Cranfield’s role in founding the ‘Technology and Growth Alliance’, stating that:

Cranfield is the only university to be a founding partner in a new defence alliance, which brings together defence firms, academics, investors, accelerators and organisations from across the defence industry.

Other founding members include BAE Systems, Thales, Leonardo, Helsing and ADS.

Much like Rolls-Royce and BAE, Thales, Leonardo, and ADS have links to the Israeli military. Helsing insists that it has no weapons deployed in theatres other than Ukraine; however, it has direct contracts with several other companies which do.

Beyond its links to the arms trade, Cranfield also has form for suppressing pro-Palestinian protest. FOI requests have revealed that the university has admitted to sharing students’ personal data with the police over their support of the Palestine movement, and even referred up to four students to Prevent.

‘Completely shut out’

Obviously, KCL SfJ are deeply unhappy that their university is being merged with an institution with so many links to the armourers of Israel’s genocide.

Adding insult to injury, the activist group also stated that students and staff weren’t consulted on the merger:

The decision to merge with a highly militarised university was allegedly made at a private dinner between the two vice-chancellors, Shitij Kapur and Karen Holford.

Both students and staff were completely shut out of the decision-making process. Instead of being given a voice on whether our university should absorb a failing defence hub, we were simply told via national news.

Management’s only real communication to students dismissively claims the merger will have “no impact” on their day-to-day experience.

In response, KCL SfJ wrote:

We demand a voice.
Say NO the the Cranfield merger!
Say NO TO GENOCIDE!

📌 Tag @lifeatkings and let them know we will not let this go by quietly!

As more and more universities across the UK are facing dire financial straits, many are reaching for desperate solutions like cutting courses and jobs to the bone.

In the KCL/Cranfield merger, we’re instead seeing an appeal to the seemingly-infinite pockets of weapons manufacturers. However, as KCL SfJ have demonstrated, the student body won’t let themselves be dragged into complicity with Israel’s genocide without a fight.

Featured image via Getty/Dan Kitwood