The Alliance is part of the UK Government’s £182million investment in growing defence-related skills and future career opportunities for students.
Chosen from almost 100 UK university applicants, Bristol and the other 34 institutions will share expertise and build connections between academia and the defence sector, creating student career pathways in, for example, cyber security, robotics, AI, aerospace engineering, and advanced manufacturing.
Launched today (Monday 13 July) by Defence Minister Luke Pollard MP, the DUA is a long-term collaboration between the Ministry of Defence (MoD), The UK Armed Forces, the Office of the Chief Scientific Advisor for National Security, and the higher education sector.
Professor Evelyn Welch, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bristol, said: “Our approach at the University of Bristol to world-leading research and innovation places us in a strong position to support the delivery of the DUA in collaboration with our academic partners, government, and industry.
“This is underpinned by our knowledge and leadership in the development of emerging technologies, including AI, quantum, and semiconductors, our long-standing commitment to interdisciplinary research, and our proven ability to deliver meaningful impact through sustained engagement and collaboration.
“Our membership of this alliance is a reflection of our expertise in translating research and scientific discoveries into positive real-world advances as well as the strength of our existing work with organisations across a wide range of sectors, including those aligned to considerations of national security and resilience.
“In joining the DUA alongside our sector colleagues, we at Bristol remain committed in our approach towards safeguarding academic freedom, ethical standards, and transparency, while upholding our values as a research intensive, civic university.”
The DUA follows an £80 million MOD investment in 2,500 student places across 24 universities and colleges. It forms part of the Government’s defence skills package, strengthening the UK’s talent pipeline, supporting economic growth, and ensuring every region benefits from the MOD’s £298 billion defence investment over the next four years.
Luke Pollard MP, Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, said: “As we prepare for warfighting readiness, working with universities, students and innovators boosts skills and helps keep our country safe. The Defence Universities Alliance will create meaningful connections between students, academia and defence, boosting research, skills and defence expertise across the UK to strengthen industry. Universities play a key role in innovating and supporting defence, and the DUA helps marshal those efforts.
“In this new era of threat our £182 million defence skills package is helping to create opportunities for students, apprentices and young people, making sure our historic £298 billion defence investment is an engine for growth across the UK, and building on the more than 272,000 industry jobs supported by MOD spending.”
Professor Tim Dafforn, Chief Scientific Advisor, Ministry of Defence, said: “The Defence Universities Alliance represents a genuinely transformative step forward in how Defence partners with the UK’s world-leading academic sector. By bringing together our shared expertise, ambition and innovation, the Alliance will help us tackle some of the most complex challenges facing Defence at a strategic level.
“I am incredibly excited about the opportunities this creates. The DUA will fundamentally change the way Defence, universities and industry work together - strengthening our national security, creating strategic advantage and supporting growth to deliver better outcomes for the UK.”
Vivienne Stern, Chief Executive at Universities UK, said: “The UK is changing rapidly and so is what the country needs from its universities. By equipping students with the skills needed for the defence sector jobs of tomorrow and carrying out cutting edge research, universities have an integral role in our national security. Universities are committed to backing the nation’s security, with almost 100 applying to be part of the DUA.
“The UK’s defence and university sectors have a proud history of working in partnership to strengthen Britain’s defence capability and keep communities safe. We look forward to the new opportunities that the DUA will bring for scaling up strategic partnerships to develop future talent, research and innovation.”