• 35 founding universities selected to form the Defence Universities Alliance (DUA) to boost skills and careers in defence and national security

• The DUA was announced on 13 July 2026 by the UK minister for defence readiness and industry, Luke Pollard

• It is part of a £182 million investment in growing defence-related skills and opportunities across Britain.

Students will be better able to access highly skilled defence careers and leading universities will contribute cutting-edge research to the UK’s defence and national security ecosystem as 35 world-class universities, including Aston University, become founding members of the Defence Universities Alliance (DUA).

The founding members have signed the DUA Charter, committing them to growing defence-aligned research, promote careers in defence and national security, and foster collaboration and partnerships between academia, industry, and the national security community. It was signed on behalf of Aston University by Interim Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mike Caine.

Launched on 13 July 2026 by the UK minister for defence readiness and industry, Luke Pollard, at an event at the University of Manchester, the DUA will create a thriving network of defence and national security research expertise and drive a highly skilled workforce across the UK. The alliance is a long-term collaboration between the Ministry of Defence (MOD), the UK Armed Forces, the Office of the Chief Scientific Advisor for National Security and the higher education sector. It will help government, industry and academia work together across research, skills and developing the future defence industry workforce.

Chosen from almost 100 applicants, members of the DUA will build connections between academia and the defence sector. Universities will provide the knowledge, expertise and talent to tackle complex research and development challenges, contributing to boosting UK defence innovation, working with the defence sector and Armed Forces to translate research into sovereign capability and national resilience.

Aston University teaches a number of courses which feed directly into defence careers, building skills in its engineering, computing and cyber security programmes at foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate levels, including a new BEng in Aerospace Engineering and degree apprenticeships including Digital and Technology Solutions, Supply Chain Management and Professional Engineering. 5% of all 2022-23 Aston University graduates entered defence-aligned employment, including working for Boeing Defence, BAE Systems, MBDA and Ultra Maritime.

Research at the University addresses key gaps affecting UK defence and national security, including in cyber, electronic warfare, AI adoption, digital engineering skills and a limited domestic production capacity. Several of the University’s research centres are of particular relevance: -

• The Cyber Security Innovation Research Centre collaborates extensively with West Midlands Police and the National Cyber Security Centre with research including mapping the UK’s regional cyber security ecosystem.

• Aston Institute for Photonic Technologies (AiPT) is a globally recognised photonics centre with capabilities in lasers, sensing, nonlinear optics, advanced signal processing, imaging technologies. It partners extensively with the defence industry to develop new technologies.

• The UK Multidisciplinary Centre for Neuromorphic Systems and Computing (NeuroSYNC), led by Aston University, will transform the way computing systems are designed and used, offering significant potential for defence related innovation.

• Aston Institute for Forensic Linguistics is the leading global hub for forensic linguistics, with a long track record of Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl)-funded research analysing language for defence intelligence.

• The Sir Peter Rigby Digital Futures Institute’s collaboration with SCC, a leading technology solutions provider, supports defence-focused SMEs and start-ups with AI-enabled cyber defence and operational intelligence.

• The Advanced Services Group (ASG) is the world’s primary research centre focused on the adoption of servitisation, or selling products systems and services rather than stand-alone products. It already works with defence-aligned businesses.

• The Institute for Health and Neurodevelopment (IHN) is part of the mTBI Predict consortium investigating long-term outcomes from concussion, funded by the MoD, in collaboration with Defence Medical Services and the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre.

This flagship DUA follows an £80 million MOD investment in 2,500 student places across 24 universities and colleges. Aston University secured £3.9 million from this round of funding to boost aerospace and cybersecurity provision. It forms part of the government’s £182 million defence skills package, strengthening the UK’s talent pipeline, supporting economic growth, and ensuring every region benefits from the MOD’s historic £298 billion defence investment over the next four years.

Professor Caine said:

“In an ever-changing world, universities are essential to the UK's defence and national security capability and we are committed to contributing to the science, technology, innovation and skills ecosystem.

“Aston University looks forward to actively contributing to the Defence Universities Alliance by sharing best practice, participating in collaborative research and training initiatives, and strengthening national defence capability and workforce development.”

Luke Pollard MP, minister for defence readiness and industry, said:

“As we prepare for warfighting readiness, working with universities, students and innovators boosts skills and helps keep our country safe. The Defence Universities Alliance will create meaningful connections between students, academia and defence, boosting research, skills and defence expertise across the UK to strengthen industry. Universities play a key role in innovating and supporting defence, and the DUA helps marshal those efforts.

“In this new era of threat our £182 million defence skills package is helping to create opportunities for students, apprentices and young people, making sure our historic £298 billion defence investment is an engine for growth across the UK, and building on the more than 272,000 industry jobs supported by MOD spending.”

Professor Tim Dafforn, chief scientific advisor, Ministry of Defence, said:

“The Defence Universities Alliance represents a genuinely transformative step forward in how defence partners with the UK’s world-leading academic sector. By bringing together our shared expertise, ambition and innovation, the Alliance will help us tackle some of the most complex challenges facing defence at a strategic level. I am incredibly excited about the opportunities this creates. The DUA will fundamentally change the way defence, universities and industry work together - strengthening our national security, creating strategic advantage and supporting growth to deliver better outcomes for the UK.”