SPS sparks school students’ curiosity on the future of UK defence
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The School of Social and Political Science engaged with the next generation of thinkers and leaders in an online debate for sixth-year students focused on the future of UK defence.
Richard Brodie from SPS joined Professor Malcolm McLaughlin from the University of East Anglia for the debate webinar hosted by Channel Talent – an organisation connecting universities and business to schools. Sixty enthusiastic sixth-form students from across the country came together to discuss the complex challenges shaping global security.
The event moved beyond traditional views of defence, encouraging students to see it as an interdisciplinary field. It explored how security is no longer just about soldiers and tanks, but about safeguarding our way of life, our digital future, our planet, and our values. The core message emphasised that solving these challenges requires a wide array of talents, from artists to engineers, lawyers to political scientists and policy experts.
The importance of interdisciplinary thinking
A key focus of the discussion was the importance of an interdisciplinary approach, a central pillar of the teaching and research philosophy at the University of Edinburgh. Richard - a Lecturer in Social Policy at the University of Edinburgh - explored a series of ’Big Questions’ designed to show students how diverse fields intersect on major global issues.
The debate explored a wide range of questions including: ’When an autonomous system makes life-or-death decisions, is the ultimate responsibility with the code, the human who designed it, or the public policy that allowed its deployment?;. Computer Science, Law, Philosophy and Public Policy are all connected in finding an answer. This approach highlighted for prospective university students how their interests in a particular field, whatever they may be, can contribute to solving real-world problems. The accompanying materials reinforced this, showing how everything from environmental science to data science is crucial for building a more secure future.
Enthusiastic response
The webinar was a great success and was met with overwhelmingly positive feedback from the students. The engaging discussion left a strong impression, with attendees calling it an "amazing discussion to listen to" and "very informative and interesting."
One student captured the spirit of the event, commenting, "Thank you so much for such incredible insight and answers for all the questions - I really enjoyed the sessions and thank you for your time!"
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