A unified position against the militarisation of higher education

27 May 2026 • by Demilitarise Education

Condemning the Defence Universities Alliance

Statement

What is the Defence Universities Alliance?

The Defence Universities Alliance (DUA) is a new Ministry of Defence initiative launched in April 2026, seeking 20 founding university members to create a strategic network between UK higher education institutions and the defence sector. The alliance aims to build a “more strategic relationship between defence and academia” with three core objectives: advancing defence research, promoting defence careers, and fostering industry partnerships. [1,2]

What the charter commitment means

By signing the DUA charter, universities publicly commit to “actively growing research and development activity and capacity in defence and national security relevant fields and technologies to support defence aims and objectives.” [3] This means institutions would dedicate resources, research capacity, and career services to advancing military technology and encouraging students into militarised industries, effectively becoming formal partners in the UK’s war machine.

Why this is immoral and threatens academic freedom

The DUA represents a dangerous militarisation of higher education that fundamentally undermines the core purpose of universities. By officially defining institutions as part of the “Defence Industrial Base,”[4] the government is treating campuses as extensions of military infrastructure rather than spaces for independent inquiry and the pursuit of knowledge that serves humanity.

This alliance threatens academic freedom by:

Redirecting research priorities away from addressing pressing social, environmental, and humanitarian challenges toward military applications
Compromising institutional independence by making universities dependent on arms/military funding and strategic alignment
Military career pathways prioritised through UCAS-linked partnerships and £182 million for Defence Technical Excellence Colleges, creating institutional pressure to align with military priorities [5]
Creating ethical conflicts for researchers and students whose values oppose war and militarisation

The government’s broader “whole of society” approach to “defence” treats education not as a public good but as a tool for sustaining warfare and arms exports.

At a time when devastating conflicts continue across Congo, Sudan, Ukraine, Palestine and beyond, universities should not deepen their entanglement with industries that profit from violence, displacement, occupation and human suffering.

The DUA is being presented as a neutral partnership for innovation and skills development.

We reject this framing

The alliance represents the deepening militarisation of our educational institutions, significantly eroding their ability to pursue knowledge free from corporate and military influence.

As organisations committed to education, justice, peace and the public good, we call on universities, students, staff, trade unions, and local communities to oppose this initiative and defend education as a space for democratic inquiry, critical thought, and collective liberation.

This statement calls on universities not to become founding members and not to sign the charter to join this harmful alliance.

How we can resist this within university spaces

Form cross-sector coalitions: Bring together academics, students, staff, and local communities to oppose DUA membership through open forums and public debates. If you would like to join our public meeting on Wednesday, June 3rd from 3:00 – 4:00pm please join here: https://meet.google.com/nzt-wecv-iha
Demand democratic processes: Engaging with your university’s senior leadership to discourage joining the DUA and insist that university senates and governing bodies hold transparent votes on DUA membership, with full disclosure of implications and alternatives
Organise educational campaigns: Host public lectures, workshops, and teach-ins about the ethics of militarised academia and the history of resistance to military-academic complexes
Develop ethical alternatives: Create policy and procedural frameworks for university-community partnerships that address real human needs rather than military priorities (dED Treaty) [6]
Use institutional power: Student and staff unions should pass motions opposing DUA membership and advocating for demilitarisation [7]
**Document and expose: **Track university arms partnerships and make information publicly accessible to build accountability (dED Database) [8]

The Defence Universities Alliance must be resisted.

Education should build futures rooted in dignity, creativity and collective care, not weapons systems and war.

Our universities must remain spaces where critical inquiry, ethical responsibility and the pursuit of justice can flourish free from military influence and political coercion.

Official Endorsements