Sir Patrick backs Exeter defence

General Sir Patrick Sanders, former Chief of the General Staff, joined researchers at the University of Exeter to explore how the UK should respond to major global shifts in security and geopolitics.

He delivered a guest lecture discussing the rise of autocracies, the fragility of international security, and the transformative impact of emerging technologies—changes he likened to the industrial revolution.

Sir Patrick collaborated with academics from Exeter’s Centre for Public Understanding of Defence and Security (CPUDS) and the Strategy and Security Institute (SSI), both of which play leading roles in research and public engagement on global defence matters. CPUDS is part of Policy@Exeter, the university’s think tank linking academic insight with policymaking.

A panel including senior university leaders debated how public understanding of defence can shape policy and improve transparency. Professor Paul Cornish emphasised the importance of engaging the public to move beyond viewing the military as a routine public service.

General Sir Patrick, known for championing innovation, mental health, and LGBT inclusion in the military, brings decades of high-level experience to the conversation, having served in major operations and held senior roles in UK and international defence leadership.

* A longer version of this story appears in the next issue of Exeter Tomorrow out in June.