Former Chief of the General Staff highlights work of University of Exeter defence experts
General Sir Patrick joined those working in the University of Exeter’s newly established Centre for Public Understanding of Defence and Security and in the Strategy and Security Institute
General Sir Patrick Sanders, former Chief of the General Staff – the professional head of the British Army – has helped to highlight the work of the University of Exeter’s defence and security experts.
Exeter’s researchers discussed the impact of pivotal changes in global politics and security and how the Government should respond.
General Sir Patrick joined those working in the University of Exeter’s newly established Centre for Public Understanding of Defence and Security and in the Strategy and Security Institute.
The Centre for the Public Understanding of Defence and Security (CPUDS) is an integral part of Policy@Exeter, the University’s public policy-oriented think tank connecting world class researchers with policymakers on a regional, national and international level. CPUDS promotes intelligent, informed public debate about pressing issues of national and international defence and security and plays an important role in supporting public understanding of the armed forces.
The Strategy and Security Institute (SSI) was established in 2010 and has become a leading centre for research and teaching, offering the flagship MA in Applied Security and Strategy, a MSc in Global Security Studies as well as research degrees in strategy and security. SSI researchers are working on a variety of security issues including the transformation of the military, the causes and consequences of competition between major powers and military ethics.
General Sir Patrick gave a guest lecture on what the changing global order means for our future. He spoke of unprecedented changes around the world, including shifts in global power balances, the rise of autocracies and the fragility of international security. He asked how Europe should come to terms with the apparent US tendency to foreign policy isolationism, with increasing Chinese self-confidence and strategic reach, and with the evolution of new technology in warfare.
Sir Patrick argued that these changes will be as impactful on society as the industrial revolution and that it must be the task of experts in the field to “shine a light and inspire extraordinary innovations”.
A panel discussion took place involving Professor Paul Cornish (Director of Policy@Exeter and of CPUDS), Professor Anthony King (Director, Strategy & Security Institute), Professor Frances Tammer (Professor of Practice in Strategy and Security), Professor Gareth Stansfield (Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences) and Professor Lisa Roberts (President and Vice-Chancellor, University of Exeter).
Panellists and audience members discussed ways in which the public’s understanding of defence and security can influence policymaking and considered the role played by the media in shaping public perceptions of the armed forces.
Professor Cornish said: “It is crucial to engage the public with matters of defence and with the ways in which defence decisions are made, and for what reason. Armed forces and security agencies are instrumental, not iconic. At the Centre for the Public Understanding of Defence and Security we work to ensure that defence and security are not seen simply as routine public services, and to ensure that these issues are better understood.”
General Sir Patrick has commanded on operations in Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan. He is known for his openness to technology and innovation and for steering the Army through a difficult period in its history, as well as championing LGBT rights and destigmatising discussion about mental health. Sir Patrick has been a member of the Directing Staff at the Joint Staff College, Politico/Military adviser for the Commander of Coalition Forces in Iraq in 2003-4, Colonel Army Strategy, Chief of Defence Staff’s Liaison Officer to the US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Operations) in the MOD.
He commanded 2nd Battalion of the Royal Green Jackets, 20 Armoured Brigade, 3rd (UK) Division, and the UK Field Army. Promoted to General in May 2019, he commanded UK Strategic Command until May 2022 and was appointed Chief of the General Staff in June 2022.
