Exeter Approves Saudi Military Training Partnership

Published: 29 August 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online.

The University of Exeter has approved plans for a formal partnership with Saudi Arabia that will see its academics provide advanced education and training to senior military officers and government officials in Riyadh, prompting criticism over the university’s relationship with a government long criticised for its human rights record.

The agreement could generate millions of pounds for the Russell Group university and will involve the delivery of an MA programme in applied security and strategy to selected participants at Saudi Arabia’s National Defense University.

The programme, also known as an MStrat, is expected to become part of the National Defense University’s global strategy and strategic leadership programme during the 2026–27 academic year.

Around 20 participants are expected to take part annually over a three-year period. The students are expected to include senior military officers and government officials involved in strategic leadership and security-related roles.

The National Defense University in Riyadh was previously known as the Saudi Armed Forces Command and Staff College before adopting its current name two years ago.

The partnership has attracted particular attention because it comes at a difficult time for the University of Exeter. The institution has faced criticism from prominent writers, broadcasters, academics and former students over proposals to cut around 150 jobs, with many of the reductions expected to affect humanities, arts and social science subjects.

Critics have questioned why a university internationally recognised for its academic strengths in these areas is considering significant staffing reductions while simultaneously pursuing potentially lucrative international partnerships.

The University and College Union’s Exeter branch strongly criticised the proposed Saudi arrangement. Union representatives argued that university management was prioritising commercial opportunities involving military education while reducing academic positions at home.

The controversy highlights a broader debate within British higher education about the growing reliance of universities on international partnerships, overseas contracts and commercial activities.

British universities frequently provide specialist education, consultancy and professional training to foreign governments and institutions. Such agreements can generate substantial revenue and help universities expand their international influence.

However, partnerships involving military organisations or governments accused of serious human rights violations can raise complex ethical questions.

Universities are expected to assess potential international collaborations for legal, ethical, security and reputational risks before agreements are approved. The precise standards used in such assessments can vary, but institutions increasingly face pressure from staff, students and campaigners to demonstrate that commercial interests do not override academic values.

The Exeter agreement was reportedly approved by the university council in February before receiving further endorsement from the university senate the following month.

Documents connected to the arrangement reportedly described the partnership as commercially confidential, meaning the details of the discussions were not widely publicised.

The MA in applied security and strategy is not a newly created programme. The University of Exeter says the course has been taught through its strategy and security institute since 2012.

Students on the existing programme have included serving British military personnel sponsored by the Ministry of Defence, as well as Chevening scholars supported through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

The university says the programme combines academic study with practical applications and is designed for working professionals in the armed forces, government and international organisations.

Under the proposed Saudi partnership, Exeter academics would deliver this established academic programme to a cohort at the National Defense University in Riyadh.

The university has defended its approach, saying international partnerships are assessed separately from internal budget planning and must meet academic and ethical standards.

A spokesperson said Exeter continued to develop external educational activities and partnerships that supported its academic mission and allowed the university’s expertise to have an impact both within the United Kingdom and internationally.

The spokesperson also pointed out that professional military education has formed part of the longstanding defence relationship between the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia, including through official British government institutions.

Nevertheless, critics argue that the partnership cannot be separated entirely from wider questions surrounding Saudi Arabia’s human rights record and the role of academic institutions in supporting foreign military establishments.

Saudi Arabia has long faced international criticism over restrictions on freedom of expression, political dissent and human rights. These concerns have made relationships between Western universities and Saudi institutions particularly controversial.

Similar questions emerged earlier this year when proposals involving the University of Cambridge’s Judge Business School and Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry attracted criticism from senior academics.

The proposed work involved leadership development and innovation management, with some academics questioning whether such cooperation was consistent with the university’s commitments to freedom of expression and academic values.

The issue has gained further significance following the British government’s growing emphasis on cooperation between universities and the defence sector.

Last month, the UK government announced the creation of a defence universities alliance involving 35 founding institutions, including Exeter.

The initiative is part of a wider investment programme designed to strengthen defence-related research, develop specialist skills and encourage closer cooperation between academia and the armed forces.

Supporters argue that universities have an important role in national security, technological development and professional education. They say academic expertise can contribute to strategic thinking, international security and the development of leadership skills.

Critics, however, warn that expanding defence relationships could create tensions between universities’ educational missions and their commercial or strategic interests.

For Exeter, the Saudi agreement has become particularly sensitive because of the timing of the proposed job cuts.

The university has been under pressure to explain how plans to reduce staffing in the humanities and social sciences align with the pursuit of new international contracts that could generate significant revenue.

Union representatives have argued that universities should prioritise protecting academic freedom, maintaining broad educational opportunities and supporting high-quality teaching rather than relying heavily on contracts with foreign governments.

The dispute also reflects wider financial pressures across the UK university sector. Many institutions are dealing with rising operating costs, uncertainty over international student recruitment and growing demands to diversify their sources of income.

International partnerships can provide an important financial lifeline, particularly when universities face budget pressures.

However, the search for new revenue can expose institutions to difficult questions about the ethical consequences of their commercial relationships.

The University of Exeter maintains that its proposed partnership with Saudi Arabia has been subject to appropriate academic and ethical assessment.

Whether that assurance will satisfy critics remains uncertain.

The agreement is likely to intensify debate among staff, students and alumni about the responsibilities of British universities when working with foreign governments and military institutions.

As higher education institutions increasingly operate in an international and commercially competitive environment, the Exeter case demonstrates the difficult balance universities must strike between financial sustainability, global engagement and the values they claim to uphold.

For critics, the central question is whether prestigious universities can pursue lucrative international opportunities without compromising their commitment to human rights, academic freedom and social responsibility.

For supporters of the partnership, international education and professional training represent an opportunity to share British academic expertise and strengthen global relationships.

The debate surrounding Exeter’s Saudi partnership is therefore likely to continue well beyond the launch of the proposed programme, raising broader questions about the future direction of British higher education and the boundaries of university engagement with governments and military institutions around the world.