On Tuesday 2 February 2016 the Changing Character of War Programme was delighted to host Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach GBE KCB ADC DL to chair the fourth meeting of CDS’ Strategy Forum, exploring the theme ‘UK Defence: International By Design’. The eighty delegates at the Forum, drawn from the armed forces, government, academia, and the private sector, were also addressed by Professor Janne Matlary (Professor of International Relations at the University of Oslo and the Norwegian Command and Staff College and former State Secretary, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
The Changing Character of War Programme was selected by the Development, Concepts, and Doctrine Centre in 2014 as their academic partner in the Strategy Forum initiative. The Forum aims to support Government policy-making by bringing together thinkers from across Government, academia and other business sectors to discuss some of the key Defence and security issues of the day. Since its inception at the end of 2014, the Forum has debated issues as varied as Strategy in Defence, Manpower, and Deterrence, and we are proud of the many reports following these events which indicate that the conversations generated within the Forum have been carried on subsequently within Government. As well as supporting Government policy-making, the Forum also provides an invaluable opportunity for some of the next generation of potential strategic leaders to both contribute to and benefit from discussions. The Programme is interested in using this model to support other organisations and governments.
