New National Security College founded to boost UK and Australian National Security

• New UK College for National Security (CfNS) created to put the UK’s national security community on the front foot to tackle emerging security threats.
• The new college will work with Australia to boost mutual security and expertise and share best practice.
• It will be part of the UK Government Campus with national security training opportunities beginning in the Autumn.

The UK College for National Security has been set up to equip the UK’s national security community with the skills and expertise they need to tackle a growing range of threats facing the UK.

The college was first proposed as part of the Integrated Review’s recognition of the need to upskill the sector’s workforce, build resilient networks amongst professionals, and provide a platform for international collaboration. Focus, duration and location of courses will be determined by the national security teams across government, where its priority purpose is to provide strategic training for policy experts in the height of their careers and to ensure they have the latest science and technology skills. Cohorts of students will then form networks across government, ready for the next challenge.

International collaboration will also be a key pillar of the college, offering opportunities to join forces with our international partners to share best practice and maximise learning and development.

Its first international collaboration will be with the National Security College at the Australian National University, marking the importance of the two countries’ strategic relationship and drawing on their proven expertise. This partnership will span the curriculum of the college, encourage staff exchanges and priority research, boosting both countries’ mutual security and harness collective expertise.

Michael Ellis QC MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, said:

The new College for National Security is a great example of how we can join forces with our partners to catalyse learning and development and help meet the UK’s ambitions in national security.

Our partnership with the Australian National Security College will harness our collective expertise from opposite sides of the globe and keep us on the front foot for tackling the growing range of domestic and global threats we face.

International collaboration is a key pillar of the College and we are proud to be working with our Australian colleagues to leverage resources and opportunities from across Government, industry, academia and the private sector to drive forward this exciting initiative.

Professor Rory Medcalf, Head of the Australian National Security College, commented:

This partnership will expand the security expertise and capability of Australia and the UK in facing shared risks.

Our mission is to develop the people, ideas and networks for a secure Australian future, and I’m delighted we can take that further with such a close international partner.

We’ve begun discussions with the leadership of the new UK College and we’ll work closely to map a partnership spanning shared curricula, staff exchange and priority research.

The College for National Security will open in April as part of the UK Government Campus for Skills, with its first training programme beginning in the Autumn.