The Defence Academy of the United Kingdom provides higher education for personnel in the British Armed Forces, Civil Service, other government departments and service personnel from other nations. The Director General of the Defence Academy is Air Marshal

Ian Gale Air Marshal Ian David Gale, is a senior officer in the Royal Air Force. He is currently serving as Director-General of Joint Force Development, Strategic Command. Early life and education Gale was educated at Sir Thomas Picton School, a compr ...

, a senior Royal Air Force officer.

Structure

The Defence Academy is headquartered at what used to be the

Royal Military College of Science The Royal Military College of Science (RMCS) was a British postgraduate school, research institution and training provider with origins dating back to 1772. It became part of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom in 2009, and ceased to exist ...

site at

Shrivenham Shrivenham is a village and civil parish in the Vale of White Horse, Oxfordshire, England, about south-west of Faringdon. The village is close to the county boundary with Wiltshire and about east-northeast of Swindon. The 2011 Census recorde ...

in southwestern Oxfordshire, though the present campus also extends into the neighbouring village of

Watchfield Watchfield is a village and civil parish in the Vale of White Horse in on the edge of southwest Oxfordshire, southern England, about southeast of Highworth in neighbouring Wiltshire. Watchfield is about north of the village of Shrivenham. Bot ...

; it delivers education and training there and in a number of other sites. The majority of training is

postgraduate Postgraduate or graduate education refers to academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications pursued by post-secondary students who have earned an undergraduate ( bachelor's) degree. The organization and ...

with many courses being accredited for the award of civilian qualifications. The formation of the Defence Academy consolidated education and training delivered by a number of different establishments into a single organisational and budgetary structure, intended to improve efficiency, reduce duplication of effort and align delivery to defence requirements. The Defence Academy is also responsible for the maintenance of relationships with the UK academic establishment and with military and naval service educational institutions worldwide. Non technical research is carried out for the development of doctrine and analysis of the international security environment.

Delivery units and locations

Training is delivered by: *

Royal College of Defence Studies The Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS) instructs the most promising senior officers of the British Armed Forces, His Majesty's Diplomatic Service and Civil Service in national defence and international security matters at the highest lev ...

(RCDS), Seaford House,

Belgravia Belgravia () is a district in Central London, covering parts of the areas of both the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Belgravia was known as the 'Five Fields' during the Tudor Period, and became a dang ...

, London *

Joint Services Command and Staff College Joint Services Command and Staff College (JSCSC) is a British military academic establishment providing training and education to experienced officers of the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force, Ministry of Defence Civil Service, and serving offic ...

(JSCSC),

, Oxfordshire *Shrivenham Leadership Centre (SLC),

Beckett Hall Beckett Hall (or Beckett House) is a country house at Shrivenham in the English county of Oxfordshire (formerly in Berkshire). The present house dates from 1831. History This manor is first mentioned in the Domesday survey, and was acquired b ...

, Shrivenham * Armed Forces Chaplaincy Centre (AFCC), Amport House, Amport, Hampshire *Nuclear Department, , Gosport *

Defence Centre of Training Support {{Infobox military unit , unit_name = Defence Centre of Training Support , native_name = , image = File:Defence centre of training support logo.jpg , image_size = , alt = , caption = , dates = {{Start date, 2003, 10, 1, df=y – present , ...

(DCTS), Shrivenham *Technology School, Shrivenham *Business Skills College, Shrivenham *

Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme The Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme (DTUS) is a university sponsorship programme for students who want to join the Royal Navy, British Army, Royal Air Force or Engineering and Science branch of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) Civil Service a ...

(DTUS) ** Loughborough University **

Aston University Aston University (abbreviated as ''Aston''. for post-nominals) is a public research university situated in the city centre of Birmingham, England. Aston began as the Birmingham Municipal Technical School in 1895, evolving into the UK's first ...

University of Birmingham The University of Birmingham (informally Birmingham University) is a Public university, public research university located in Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Queen's College, Birmingha ...

** Newcastle University ** Northumbria University **

University of Southampton , mottoeng = The Heights Yield to Endeavour , type = Public research university , established = 1862 – Hartley Institution1902 – Hartley University College1913 – Southampton University Coll ...

** University of Portsmouth *Defence Technical Officer and Engineer Entry Scheme (DTOEES), (part of DSFC and DTUS) *Defence Engagement School, which comprises the Defence Centre for Languages & Culture, The Defence Attache and Loan Service Centre and the International Section. *Centre of Air Safety Training (Military Aviation Authority) (CoAST)

Former locations

Welbeck Abbey Welbeck Abbey in the Dukeries in North Nottinghamshire was the site of a monastery belonging to the Premonstratensian order in England and after the Dissolution of the Monasteries, a country house residence of the Dukes of Portland. It is o ...

, Nottinghamshire (until 2005) *

Welbeck Defence Sixth Form College Welbeck Defence Sixth Form College (stylised as Welbeck – The Defence Sixth Form College), formerly named and often referred to as simply Welbeck College, was an independent, selective sixth form college in Leicestershire, England. While run a ...

, Leicestershire (2005–2021)

Governance

The Director General of the Defence Academy was, until 2011, a

three-star rank An officer of three-star rank is a senior commander in many of the armed services holding a rank described by the NATO code of OF-8. The term is also used by some armed forces which are not NATO members. Typically, three-star officers hold the ...

( vice admiral,

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

, air marshal) which can be filled by any of the three armed services. The Director General of the Defence Academy chairs the Defence Academy Management Board which is composed of the commandants of the constituent delivery units and Chief of Staff, Defence Academy. The commanding officer of Shrivenham Station is a separate post filled by a Royal Air Force Wing Commander. The management board report to a four-star steering board and an advisory board including academic expertise from the private sector and academia. A customer board at two-star level represents the customer community. Academic provision is delivered through partnering agreements with Cranfield University and King's College London. List of Directors General: *2002–2005: Sir Roger Jackling *2005–2008: Lieutenant General Sir

John Kiszely Lieutenant General Sir John Panton Kiszely, (born 2 April 1948) is a retired senior British Army officer who was director general of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom from 2005 to 2008. He is a former national president of The Royal Brit ...

, late

Scots Guards The Scots Guards (SG) is one of the five Foot Guards regiments of the British Army. Its origins are as the personal bodyguard of King Charles I of England and Scotland. Its lineage can be traced back to 1642, although it was only placed on the E ...

*2008–2011: Lieutenant General Andrew Graham, late Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders *2011–2014:

Peter Watkins Peter Watkins (born 29 October 1935) is an English film and television director. He was born in Norbiton, Surrey, lived in Sweden, Canada and Lithuania for many years, and now lives in France. He is one of the pioneers of docudrama. His films ...

*2014–2018: Vice Admiral

Duncan Potts Vice Admiral Duncan Laurence Potts, (born 10 March 1961) is a retired senior Royal Navy officer. He served as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Capability) and Controller of the Navy from 2013 to 2014, and as Director General of the Defence Acade ...

*2018–2021: Air Marshal

Edward Stringer Air Marshal Edward Jackson Stringer, is a senior Royal Air Force officer. Since April 2018 he has served as Director-General of the Defence Academy. He also served as Director-General of Joint Force Development, Strategic Command from April ...

*2021–present: Air Marshal

References

External links

Defence Academy official site
{{authority control Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom) Military training establishments of the United Kingdom Education in Oxfordshire Educational institutions established in 2002 1772 establishments in England Military academies of the United Kingdom 2002 establishments in the United Kingdom