Universities’ role in global conflict

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

• 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.’

Nick Hillman, 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.’

Notes for Editors

1. HEPI was founded in 2002 to influence the higher education debate with evidence. We are UK-wide, independent and non-partisan. We are funded by organisations and higher education institutions that wish to support vibrant policy discussions, as well as through our own events. HEPI is a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity.