February 2012: First BUCSIS Research Students’ Symposium
The inaugural BUCSIS Research Students’ Symposium was held at the end of February, in which 4 of our current DPhil students (Giles Wollenmann, Eugene Eji, Twana Bawa and Megan Munroe), and a graduate of the MA in Security and Intelligence Studies who is now studying for a PhD at Manchester University (Joshua Shurley), presented details of their doctoral research to MA students in Security and Intelligence Studies, and Global Affairs. The fascinating set of talks covered a diverse range of topics, comprising the security implications of multiculturalism; counter-terrorism strategy in Nigeria; private security companies in the Kurdish region of Iraq; security policy at the Olympics; and the work of the US DoD’s AFRICOM. The success of this event means that we will be aiming to repeat it at regular intervals.
February 2012: Turing in Context, Cambridge
During February, the Isaac Newton Institute hosted a weekend event at King’s College in Cambridge called Turing in Context, as part of the 2012 anniversary of Alan Turing’s birth. Given the breadth of Turing’s interests, talks were many and varied, touching on mathematics, cryptography, “cybernetics”, law and homosexuality, and finishing with a talk by Dr Julian Richards entitled “The contribution of Alan Turing to British intelligence”. Further events are planned through the year: more details.
December 2011: Cabinet Office
The year closed with a visit by BUCSIS students to the Cabinet Office in London, to participate in a seminar on academic connections between government and universities in the area of Intelligence Studies, and methods of establishing optimum access to archival resources. A presentation was delivered by Giles Wollenmann, who graduates from the MA in Security and Intelligence Studies at the end of 2011.
December 2011: Bletchley Park
The last teaching day of the Autumn Term was held in the auspicious and fascinating surroundings of Bletchley Park: an institution of central significance to intelligence history, conveniently located just 20 minutes away from the University! Between lectures, we were treated to an absolutely fascinating tour of the site, and a look at the Bombes and Colossus machine, which were so crucial to the wartime codebreaking effort at Bletchley Park. Our tour guide was our very own John Miller, currently a student on the MA in Intelligence History with Bletchley Park Studies, and he did a truly excellent job. Our thanks go to Vicky at the Bletchley Park Trust with whom we are delighted to maintain a link with the University.
November 2011: Cyber Security conference
Dr Richards, Professor Glees, and two of the students on the MA in Security and Intelligence Studies were pleased to attend the Cyber Security Summit 2011 in London’s QE2 Conference Centre at the end of November. The conference was a very large gathering of academics, government officials and company representatives involved in the world of cyber security from all over the world, and emphasised how the UK is very much at the forefront of this critical area of security analysis.
November 2011: Talk on Somalia
During November we were invited to a visit by Colonel John Steed, the Principal Military Adviser at the UN Political Office in Somalia (UNPOS). Colonel Steed addressed a group of MA and research students in BUCSIS about counter-piracy operations and the work on UNPOS in Somalia, taking questions afterwards. This proved to be an absolutely fascinating discussion and a rare opportunity to quiz someone who is very much close to the coalface in Somalia. We hope that Colonel Steed will be able to update us again on the situation in the not too distant future.
November 2011: Professor Anthony Glees on BBC Panorama
BUCSIS’s director, Professor Anthony Glees, contributed extensively to the BBC TV Panorama programme on the allegations concerning Katja Zatuliveter, “From Russia With Love”, which was broadcast on 30 November. You can watch the programme here.
November 2011: New publications
Professor Anthony Glees has had articles published in Public Service Europe and Cryptologia, and he and Dr Julian Richards contributed a chapter to International Politics in Times of Change. More information.
October 2011: Conference in Gibraltar
Professor Anthony Glees was invited by the Conservative Group of MEPs in the European Parliament to an official conference on security matters held in Gibraltar on 20 and 21 October. Professor Michael Clarke, head of the Royal United Services Institute, was another guest. Anthony spoke on the need for intelligence co-operation in a globalising world, emphasising Britain’s special position as a state with global interests and a global intelligence reach able to protect them. The conference included presentations by both the senior military commander and the head of the Royal Gibraltar Police as well as a meeting with the Governor in ‘The Convent’, his official residence, and a tour of the Rock itself. BUCSIS is keen to develop links with Gibraltar, not least because of its strategic significance in the Mediterranean and as a staging post for further afield.
October 2011: Record year for BUCSIS
BUCSIS opened its doors for the 2011-12 academic year with a record number of students on the MAs. We now have a total of 19 students on the MAs in Security & Intelligence Studies and Intelligence History with Bletchley Park Studies. We also have a steady stream of applications coming in for later in the year. Our research school is also looking healthier than ever, with 7 students pursuing MPhils/DPhils. This makes us one of the largest centres in this subject area across Europe. As we start our fourth year of full operation, BUCSIS continues to grow and deliver world-class teaching and research in Security and Intelligence Studies, and we offer thanks to all of our students and friends who have helped to make it happen!
October 2011: Seminar by Professor Anthony Glees at Oxford
On 18 October Professor Glees was asked to give the first seminar paper in the core postgraduate series entitled Mechanisms of Surveillance held at the European Studies Centre at St Antony’s College, Oxford. He subject was “Keeping a Watch on Democracy: Intelligence Gathering and Civil Liberties in Europe Since 1990″, and he compared intelligence gathering in totalitarian states with that of democracies, arguing that future requirements would mean western states would increasingly need to call on volunteer assistance with cyber security problems.
October 2011: BUCSIS on the road
During October, BUCSIS headed south to take part in a roadshow for students at Aylesbury College, a local sixth-form college. The occasion was a Youth Event in which a number of organisations provided information to young people on a range of issues, including prospects for going on to study at university. We advertised the wares of the University, and asked students to do a little questionnaire on their opinions towards current issues of national security and intelligence. Pictured manning the University of Buckingham stand are current BUCSIS students: Elicia Bush, Ini Dele-Adedeji and Giles Wollenmann.
September 2011: Report by Professor Anthony Glees on security clearance
A report from the University of Buckingham Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies (BUCSIS) and PCG, the professional association representing freelancers, has highlighted a serious market failure around the process of recruiting workers for security cleared Government roles. Read the full news article.
July 2011: Visit by Angela Gendron
Angela Gendron, a Senior Fellow at the Canadian Centre of Intelligence and Security Studies (CCISS), Carleton University, Ottawa, hosted a seminar with BUCSIS students on the subject of “Intelligence for International Relations: The Ethics of Intelligent Statecraft”. As a published author on the subject of intelligence ethics and an academic with tremendous experience in the field, Angela proved to be a fascinating and very stimulating addition to our programme.
June 2011: International Workshop on Intelligence
Dr Julian Richards represented the University at the International Workshop on Intelligence (IWI) at the Rey Juan Carlos University in Madrid in early June. Other representatives included Pete Gill from Liverpool University; Bill Lahneman, Jan Goldman and Bob Heibel from the US; and various academics from Spanish universities, in addition to representatives from a Spanish security agency. On the agenda was training and collaboration in the field of intelligence studies across Europe, and with intelligence practitioners. Dr Richards and Dr Lahneman also delivered guest lectures on the MA for Intelligence Analysts (run jointly between Rey Juan Carlos and Carlos III universities), comprising a set of analytical exercises. A number of possibilities for further and deeper collaboration were raised.
April 2011: Security On Display – The Counter Terror Expo 2011
If anyone ever was in doubt – global security in all its forms is a booming business. So booming in fact, that this year’s Counter Terror Expo 19-20 April was held at London Olympia, due to outgrowing its previous theatre. While the main thrust lies in showcasing the latest technology to potential buyers, there is also much on offer within security consultancy, interest organisations and commercial intelligence. While it may seem daunting to network with directors and chairmen – most will do well as long as you display a genuine interest in security.
March 2011: King’s College conference – The threat from below: How intelligence counters irregular adversaries
Late March saw MA SIS student Joshua Shurley and Dr Julian Richards attend the one-day conference “The Threat from Below: How Intelligence Counters Irregular Adversaries”, at King’s College, University of London. The picture shows Joshua delivering a paper entitled “Virtuous Power or Mercenary Anthropology? The Implications of Applying SOCINT/Human Terrain Analysis in Africa”, which generated a great deal of interest and discussion. Dr Richards also presented on intelligence co-operation with the new Afghan intelligence agency, the NDS.
March 2011: Radical Thinking conference
In early March, Dr Julian Richards joined a panel on a joint Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS) and National Union of Students (NUS) conference entitled “Radical Thinking”, at University College London. The event, which attracted some 200 students and other observers, focused on the question of extremism and issues of freedom of speech on university campuses. The conference is likely to be the first of a series of events and activities on this subject. Dr Richards argued that more research is required on this issue to establish an empirical base, not least to test the claim from the Universities and Colleges Union that there is no security question to answer in this area.
