The Defence Academy of the United Kingdom has agreed a contract extension with King’s College London and Cranfield University, ensuring the continued delivery of world-class defence and security education for military personnel, civil servants, UK industry partners and international allies.
The extension, which will run until 2031, provides continuity of academic provision across the Defence Academy while enabling the development of future requirements and the conduct of a full and open competitive procurement process for the next generation of academic support arrangements.
The future competition will seek innovative and ambitious academic partners capable of supporting Defence's evolving educational needs in an increasingly complex strategic environment.
Major General Peter Rowell, Commandant of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, said:
"This extension provides continuity and confidence for Defence at a time when maintaining our intellectual edge has never been more important. It ensures that our people continue to benefit from world-class academic support whilst we shape the future of professional military education and defence learning.
"King's College London and Cranfield University have made a significant contribution to Defence over many years. Their expertise has helped develop generations of military personnel, civil servants, international partners and industry leaders, combining academic excellence with practical relevance to the challenges Defence faces today.
"The strategic environment is becoming more complex, contested and fast-moving. Success will increasingly depend on our ability to think critically, learn rapidly, integrate across domains and organisations, and translate knowledge into operational advantage. Through this extension, King's and Cranfield will continue to play an important role in helping us develop the people, ideas and skills needed for that future.
"At the same time, this extension creates the space to undertake a full and open competition for the next generation of academic provision at the Defence Academy. We are ambitious about the future. We want to work with partners who can help us deliver transformative learning experiences, harness technology and innovation, strengthen our connections across Defence, industry and academia, and prepare leaders for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow.
"We greatly value the contribution of our current partners and look forward to continuing our work with them over the coming years. We are equally excited by the opportunity to engage the wider market as we design the future of defence education in the United Kingdom."
King’s College London will continue to provide academic support and teaching through the Defence Studies Department within the School of Security Studies. Its academics will continue to contribute to professional defence and security education at the Royal College of Defence Studies, the Joint Services Command and Staff College and the Land Command and Staff College, supporting the development of defence and security professionals from the United Kingdom and partner nations.
Cranfield University will continue to deliver teaching informed by its research and innovation in technology, engineering and management. The university will continue to provide a range of specialist defence master's programmes, apprenticeships and short courses designed to meet the evolving needs of Defence, drawing on its internationally recognised expertise in defence, technology and leadership.
The extension ensures uninterrupted delivery of high-quality academic provision while the Defence Academy designs the next phase of its educational offering. The forthcoming procurement process will provide an opportunity for academia to help shape the future of defence learning, developing the critical thinkers, innovators and leaders required for an integrated and modern Defence enterprise.