With the UK Government moving to a posture of ‘war fighting
readiness' amid intensifying global conflict, a new HEPI Policy
Note warns higher education remains an untapped asset in national
preparedness.
The Wartime University: The role of Higher Education in Civil
Readiness by Gary Fisher argues UK universities must be
recognised as central pillars of national security and
resilience. The paper highlights how higher education
institutions represent a ‘composite capability' to enhance and
sustain civil readiness, spanning defence, health, skills,
logistics and democratic continuity, but warns this potential
remains under-recognised and poorly integrated into emergency
planning frameworks.
Drawing on historical precedents, the current example of Ukraine
and existing UK sector capacity, the report shows that
universities are not only vulnerable in times of crisis but also
indispensable. From supplying military officers and advancing
defence research, to hosting community aid centres and
strengthening democratic resilience, higher education
institutions already operate across domains critical to national
preparedness – and the new Policy Note covers a range of existing
examples.
Without clearer policy design however, the diffuse capacity
across the UK higher education sector risks remaining fragmented
and under-leveraged.
Key findings include:
- UK universities are deeply embedded in civil society,
employing nearly 400,000 staff and educating 2.9 million
students, making them vital infrastructure for resilience.
- In Ukraine, universities have sheltered civilians, documented
war damage, sustained research under bombardment and mobilised
international partnerships. By operating beyond traditional
diplomatic channels, they have acted as an extra-governmental
network for aid, collaboration and civic stability. In doing so
they have offered a powerful model of how higher education can
serve as a stabilising force in wartime.
- UK higher education institutions already contribute to health
security, food security, civic coordination and defence training,
but lack formal integration into the UK's national emergency
frameworks.
- Without clear protocols, universities risk being sidelined in
future crises, squandering their potential as trusted,
distributed hubs of civic resilience.
Dr Gary F. Fisher, author of the report, said:
‘When the UK talks about war readiness, attention goes straight
to the armed forces. Yet history shows our universities have
always been central to national resilience through roles such as
the development of military technology and the preparation of
service personnel.
‘Today, the role of universities is even broader. They combine
expansive research power with civic trust and global networks. If
government fails to substantively integrate higher education into
preparedness planning, it risks leaving one of our strongest
assets untapped.'
, Director of HEPI,
said:
‘Sadly, the world is a much less safe place than it was.
‘At the launch of the Strategic Defence Review over the summer,
the Prime Minister said the UK is “moving to warfighting
readiness”. History shows UK universities have an important role
to play, including in training the military and helping veterans,
delivering health security and serving as a critical source of
democratic resilience.
‘This original and thought-provoking paper reminds us what is at
stake. It urges policymakers to think more about the role of
universities in resilience planning, while also recognising that
it is the autonomy and independence of our universities that
makes them such trusted sources of information.'
