Picture from Royal Navy conference

The event highlighted the threats and challenges for the Navy and that solutions may come from advanced technology or from better understanding coastal communities.

27 April 2023

2 minutes

The ºÚÁÏ³Ô¹Ï hosted the for the first time this week, for a multi-disciplinary conference exploring the theme of UK Coastal Security and Communities. 

The Royal Navy Strategic Studies Centre serves as the 'think tank' for the Service, by harnessing internal and external intellect and progressive thought to guide and strengthen future decision making.

Hosted by the School of Area Studies, Sociology, History, Politics and Literature (SASHPL), the event brought together academic staff from across all five faculties, along with external speakers. It highlighted that threats and challenges for the Navy come from malign states to microplastics, and the solutions may come from advanced technology or from better understanding coastal communities - their past, present, and hopes for the future.

The panel exploring the intersection between maritime security strategy and ocean sustainability was supported by the University’s Centre for Blue Governance.

This multidisciplinary event has helped improve awareness of key influences on UK maritime security strategy in coastal waters, by exploring a range of challenges, opportunities, and historical legacies that will define the Royal Navy’s future responses close to home in a rapidly changing world.

Dr Matthew Heaslip, Senior Lecturer in Naval History and conference organiser

Picture of speakers at Royal Navy conference

The event brought together academic staff from across all five faculties, along with external speakers.

Key speakers included:

Dr Matthew Heaslip, Senior Lecturer in Naval History at the ºÚÁÏ³Ô¹Ï and conference organiser said: “This multidisciplinary event has helped improve awareness of key influences on UK maritime security strategy in coastal waters, by exploring a range of challenges, opportunities, and historical legacies that will define the Royal Navy’s future responses close to home in a rapidly changing world.â€