On Friday 2 May, Policy@Exeter was honoured to welcome esteemed guests in the defence sector to a celebration of the Centre for the Public Understanding of Defence & Security (CPUDS). This event, attended by the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Lisa Roberts, and General Sir Patrick Sanders, Former Chief of General Staff for the British Army, asked questions of how to effectively bridge the gap between policy and public understanding in today’s geopolitical climate.
In addition to a keynote speech from General Sir Patrick, there was a lively panel discussion chaired by Director of CPUDS and Policy@Exeter, Professor Paul Cornish. University of Exeter academics shared insights into ongoing research into the defence sector, including the work of the Strategy and Security Institute (SSI), within the newly established Defence, Security and Resilience Network, which brings together the wealth of defence and security expertise across the University’s faculties. These discussions provided a valuable opportunity to examine current national and global challenges, with Vice-Chancellor, Professor Lisa Roberts, keen to explore “the instrumental role that the armed forces play in British life.”
Special guest, General Sir Patrick Sanders, provided attendees with a glimpse into his experience as Former Chief of General Staff, highlighting the complexities of current geopolitical affairs. While identifying a myriad of social, economic, and technological changes – such as the growing influence of AI, and US financial policies – he advocated for an optimistic approach.
Those present were given the opportunity to share their knowledge and experience, and General Sanders’ speech encouraged impactful conversations on the role of the defence sector, and developing Higher Education research. University of Exeter academics, local MPs, and army officials were each invited to learn from one others’ expertise, and it is hoped that these discussions will facilitate vital research outputs as the University’s work in the field continues to grow. CPUDS fellows regularly publish insights and comment pieces on its website, and a compendium of articles examining critical issues relating to the public understanding of defence and security will be published in autumn of this year.