We look forward to welcoming you to the International Group.
The International Group is one of three groups at the Defence Academy. The Group specialises in equipping the UK and its partners with the engagement and language training they need to successfully procure cross-cultural relationships, when deployed overseas. They partner with Cranfield University and NATO, to deliver NATO-standard engagement, language training and leadership skills.
Preparing for your visit
Please bring photo ID.
Please arrive in good time and ensure that you have contact details for your visit sponsor upon arrival.
If you are travelling by vehicle, please abide by the 20mph speed limit and adhere to the Highway Code when commuting across site.
The Defence Academy is a smoke-free and vape-free site. For information surrounding our smoking policy, please contact your visit sponsor.
Internet access
Guest Wi-Fi is available in most areas of Marlborough Hall. Phone signal is available in most areas across site.
Toilet facilities
Single-gender, gender-neutral, and disabled toilets are available across site.
Disabled access
Lift access is available to all floors of Marlborough Hall. Wheelchair spaces are available in lecture theatres.
Food and drink
In addition to any refreshments your host may have arranged for you, the Grass Roots Café and the Fieldhouse Café are centrally located. The cafés are open to staff, students, and visitors. They offer a range of hot and cold drinks and meals, open-plan seating areas equipped with electrical sockets, and accept cash and card payments.
We are keen to celebrate our collaborations and partnerships with other nations and organisations, so our Communications Team may reach out to you before, during, or after your visit. We also encourage you to talk about your time here. See some of the options available below:
Photography by the Defence Academy
To mark your visit, our Communications Team may ask to take photos or videos of you while you are here. These photos or videos will be used on the Defence Academy’s, and possibly MOD’s, website, social media, and internal communications systems.
If a photographer or videographer is present during your visit, they will make themselves known to you. If you do not wish to be featured, please let them know. They will be able to anonymise photos (e.g. by only including backs of heads) or may decide not to cover the visit at all.
If photos are planned for external use, you may request digital copies of the photos taken during your visit. Due to MOD licensing rules, these will need to be attributed to ‘Crown Copyright’.
Taking photos yourself
If agreed with your visit sponsor, you are welcome to take your own photos in Marlborough Hall. However, for security reasons we ask that you do not take photos of classified information, security systems, or people who have not given you their explicit permission to be photographed.
Please note, different areas of Shrivenham Station have different rules surrounding photography. If you visit areas other than Marlborough Hall, please check the photography rules with your visit sponsor before taking photos.
Sharing your visit
We encourage you to publicise your visit to the International Group. For security reasons, we ask that you do not post publicly about your visit beforehand. However, once you have left Shrivenham Station, we look forward to seeing your coverage on social media (unless there are specific sensitivities told to you by your sponsor).
You can engage with the Defence Academy on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, or LinkedIn. To request copies of photos or official quotes from Defence Academy representatives, please contact the Communications Team via the ‘Contact us’ form, selecting ‘Media enquiry’ on our website. They will be happy to assist before and after your visit.
The Foreign Language Wing, part of the Group’s Defence Centre for Languages and Culture, delivers language training in over 40 languages.
The Defence Centre for Languages and Culture (DCLC) facilitates the longest course available at the Defence Academy, delivered over a 19-month period.
The Defence Attaché and Loan Service Centre (DALSC) brings coherence, oversight and assurance to the pre-deployment preparation and training of the Integrated Global Defence Network (IGDN). DALSC exists to provide the knowledge and skills to navigate life as a defence diplomat. Their holistic approach ensures individual needs are met, along with their family members, and the organisation to which they are assigned.
Please use this site map to navigate during your time with us. The map highlights your route, parking, emergency evacuation points, and the nearest food and retail outlets to your area of visit.
