Northumbria University named among 35 founding members of Defence Universities Alliance

Northumbria has been selected as a founding member of the Defence Universities Alliance (DUA), recognising the University's strengths in research, innovation and education addressing challenges of national security, safety and resilience. 

The Alliance brings together world-class UK universities committed to partnering with the Ministry of Defence, the UK Armed Forces, the Office of the Chief Scientific Advisor for National Security and the wider defence sector. 

The 35 founding members – alongside Universities UK – have signed the DUA Charter, committing to grow defence research, promote careers in defence and foster collaboration between academia, defence and the national security community. As the UK enters a new era of strategic threat and increases defence spending to 2.6% of GDP by 2027, the Alliance represents a whole-of-society approach to building the research capability and skilled workforce the country needs. 

Professor Tim Dafforn, Chief Scientific Advisor, Ministry of Defence, said: The Defence Universities Alliance represents a genuinely transformative step forward in how Defence partners with the UK’s world-leading academic sector. By bringing together our shared expertise, ambition and innovation, the Alliance will help us tackle some of the most complex challenges facing Defence at a strategic level. 

I am incredibly excited about the opportunities this creates. The DUA will fundamentally change the way Defence, universities and industry work together - strengthening our national security, creating strategic advantage and supporting growth to deliver better outcomes for the UK.” 

Building on strengths in research, innovation, education and skills 

Northumbria's membership reflects a growing and substantive body of work across the University. The Northern Hub for Veterans and Military Families Research is a nationally recognised, multi-disciplinary team conducting translational research across the Armed Forces community – spanning health and social care, psychology, public health, social policy and nursing – with partners across government, local authorities, the NHS and third sector organisations.  

The University's North East Space Skills and Technology Centre (NESST) - a strategic collaboration between Northumbria University, the UK Space Agency and Lockheed Martin backed by £50 million of investment - further underlines the breadth and ambition of Northumbria's contribution to national space, defence and security capability. The centre will provide state-of-the-art research facilities, satellite testing capabilities and dedicated skills programmes, such as the University’s new Aerospace Satellite Engineering courses. Expected to open late 2026, NESST is projected to generate 350 jobs and over £250m in GVA, and is cited in both the North East Combined Authority Local Growth Plan and the National Defence Industrial Strategy as a key regional and national asset.  

The University also holds Silver Award status under the Armed Forces Covenant and was recently ranked in the top 0.3% of veteran employers nationally. 

Professor Andy Long, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, said: "Being named one of the 35 founding members of the Defence Universities Alliance is a proud moment for Northumbria. We have long been committed to research and education that makes a real difference – to our region, to the people who serve our country, and to the challenges that matter most to the UK's future security and prosperity. DUA membership gives us a stronger platform from which to build on that commitment, and we look forward to playing an active role in shaping what the Alliance becomes." 

Northumbria joins Durham University and Newcastle University as the three North East institutions selected as founding members, reinforcing the region's growing profile as a centre of defence research and innovation and further building on the work of the North East Regional Defence and Security Cluster (NERDSC). 

Speaking about the DUA at the launch event at the University of Manchester, Luke Pollard MP, Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, said: “As we prepare for warfighting readiness, working with universities, students and innovators boosts skills and helps keep our country safe. The Defence Universities Alliance will create meaningful connections between students, academia and defence, boosting research, skills and defence expertise across the UK to strengthen industry. Universities play a key role in innovating and supporting defence, and the DUA helps marshal those efforts. 

In this new era of threat our £182 million defence skills package is helping to create opportunities for students, apprentices and young people, making sure our historic £298 billion defence investment is an engine for growth across the UK, and building on the more than 272,000 industry jobs supported by MOD spending.” 

The DUA aligns with Northumbria's 2030 strategy, which commits the University to creating new knowledge, powering an inclusive economy and driving social mobility – aims that are each advanced through partnership with government, defence and national security industries, the armed forces and local communities.