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Policy context

This policy sets out the Students’ Union’s position on UCL’s membership of the Defence Universities Alliance (DUA) and on the wider expansion of defence and national security priorities within higher education. The DUA’s stated objectives include advancing defence research, promoting defence careers and fostering industry partnerships. 

We recognise that work described as defence and national security can include research with public interest applications but believes that institutional participation must not allow military priorities to shape university research, education, careers activity or campus life by default. 

Our beliefs

  1. Teaching, research and innovation should serve peace, the advancement of humanity and the public good. 
  2. We oppose the militarisation of higher education and strongly believe that universities should exist to build international cooperation, strengthen social cohesion and shape societal values.
  3. Universities should be places of learning and research for the public benefit and we should guard against universities becoming an extension of military strategy. 
  4. Relationships with government, the military and defence industry must not drive UCL’s institutional focus of research, teaching, careers provision or the allocation of resources.
  5. Academic freedom must be protected. Individual students and staff must retain the freedom to undertake, discuss, scrutinise or challenge lawful research, including research related to defence and national security. Academic freedom does not prevent the Students’ Union from taking a democratic, values-led position on the direction and consequences of institutional partnerships.
  6. Our students have a big impact on the world around us into the future, we respect individual choice and freedom, we also believe that students should consider the ethical and sustainability impact of their career choices. 
  7. Transparency, accountability and democratic participation are essential. Decisions about defence-related research, funding, partnerships and institutional membership must be open to meaningful scrutiny by students and students should be involved before commitments are made.

Desired outcomes

  1. UCL does not deepen its involvement in the DUA, or enter new defence-related commitments, without transparent assessment of the risks, democratic scrutiny and meaningful consultation with students and staff.
  2. UCL establishes clear ethical boundaries that prevent university activity from contributing to research or teaching that does not serve the publics interests.
  3. The Students’ Union is represented in the rooms where relevant decisions are developed and made, with timely access to the information required to scrutinise proposals and represent students effectively.
  4. The academic freedom and safety of students and staff is protected.

Proposed Actions

  1. Continue to raise concerns directly with UCL, where relevant decisions and disclosures sit. 
  2. Ask UCL for clarity on exactly what categories of research and partnership DUA membership commits UCL to.
  3. Push for meaningful student input into future decisions on defence-related investment or collaboration, before those decisions are made, not after.
  4. Keep the issue under regular review, rather than treating the current position as settled.
  5. Raise the issue nationally, as universities across the UK are affected by this decision. 
  6. Follow up with the UK Defence Secretary on the DUA and continue to raise student concerns about the increased militarisation of university campuses. 
  7. Keep updating Union Executive and students as these conversations develop.