Exeter University has approved a formal partnership with Saudi Arabia to provide training for senior military officers and government officials, despite ongoing concerns about the Saudi government’s human rights record, according to The Guardian.
Under the agreement, Exeter academics will deliver a Master of Arts in Applied Security and Strategy (MStrat) to a cohort of students at the National Defense University (NDU) in Riyadh, a partnership that could generate substantial revenue for the Russell Group institution.
The MA will serve as the academic component of NDU’s Global Strategy and Strategic Leadership Programme, commencing in the 2026‑2027 academic year, and will accommodate approximately 20 participants annually for three years. The institution was previously known as the Saudi Armed Forces Command and Staff College until two years ago.
The partnership was revealed amid controversy, as the university faces criticism from prominent writers, broadcasters, academics, and alumni over its plan to eliminate 150 positions, mainly within the humanities, arts, and social sciences—areas in which the university is highly regarded.
The Exeter branch of the University and College Union (UCU) accused university senior management of pursuing “dirty money.”
A UCU spokesperson said: “We are horrified yet not surprised that Exeter’s management is more focused on selling military training to authoritarian regimes than on safeguarding world‑class humanities and social sciences education.”
The agreement has not been widely publicised. It was approved by the university council in February and subsequently endorsed by the senate the following month. Council minutes, obtained by The Guardian, label the NDU partnership as “strictly confidential and commercially sensitive.”
The university’s marketing material describes the MStrat as blending academic depth with practical application, targeting professionals in the armed forces, government, and international organisations, and offering a rigorous yet flexible learning environment to develop strategic expertise.
UK universities frequently enter into consultancy and training contracts with foreign governments, often valued at millions of pounds, and each proposal must undergo rigorous vetting by university authorities to evaluate legal, ethical, and security implications.
Earlier this year, similar concerns were voiced when Cambridge’s Judge Business School proposed offering “leadership development” and “innovation management” to Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry; senior academics condemned the plan as “horrifying” and a breach of the university’s commitment to academic freedom.
Last month, the UK government announced the creation of a Defence Universities Alliance, of which Exeter is one of 35 founding members, to foster collaboration between academia and the armed forces as part of a £182 million investment aimed at bolstering defence research and developing critical skills.
A university spokesperson said: “The MA in Applied Security and Strategy has been taught at Exeter since 2012 through our Strategy and Security Institute, and its students have included serving British military personnel sponsored by the Ministry of Defence and Chevening scholars funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.”
“We are in discussions to deliver this established Exeter programme to a cohort at the National Defense University in Riyadh. Professional military education has long been part of the UK’s defence relationship with Saudi Arabia, including through UK government institutions.”
“Partnerships of this nature are evaluated on academic and ethical criteria through a process that operates independently of budgetary considerations.”
“Like universities worldwide, Exeter is committed to developing external partnerships and educational initiatives that advance our academic mission and amplify our expertise both nationally and internationally.”
The UCU spokesperson replied: “Instead of seeking “dirty money,” we believe a university should champion freedom of speech, uphold human rights, and provide a diverse range of high‑quality courses and an exceptional student experience.”