Royal College of Defence Studies

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The Royal College of Defence Studies is part of the UK Defence Academy. It was founded in 1927 as the Imperial Defence College and was chiefly concerned with defending the British Empire. Today it defines its mission as to


"Develop leaders and international strategists"[1] and to
"To prepare senior officers and officials of the United Kingdom and other countries and future leaders from the private and public sectors for high responsibilities in their respective organisations, by developing their analytical powers, knowledge of defence and international security, and strategic vision"[2].


The College runs one course a year, from January to December. Each course is attended by a maximum of 88 Members, around one-third from UK and two-thirds from overseas. Seventy-five per cent are military officers and the remaining 25 per cent are civil servants, diplomats, police officers and representatives from the private sector[3].

History

  • 1922 Winston Churchill, Secretary of State for the colonies, presides over a cabinet committe who recommend the creation of the college
  • 1927 College is founded as the Imperial Defence College, chiefly concerned with defence of the Empire, with 25 Members drawn from the UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
  • 1946 College reopened at Seaford House, Members from the United States attended the course for the first time.
  • 1970 Renamed, The Royal College of Defence Studies in 1970. The Course has been widened to include Members from all parts of the world, over 40 different countries each year, including in recent years China, Ukraine, India, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Poland, Pakistan and Afganistan[4].

Controversies

A BBC Panorama programme found that Perence Shiri, who led the force that committed the most serious crimes against humanity in Zimbabwe, took up a place at The Royal College of Defence Studies. Commander of the 5th Brigade, Shiri led the force that claimed thousands of civilian lives in Matabeleland between 1983 and 1984[5].

People

Tim Garden, former Commander[6] | Robert Moss, Visiting Lecturer 1971-80 | Pervez Musharraf, Was trained at the college and is a "regular visitor"[7]

Notes

  1. ↑ The Royal College of Defence Studies, The RCDS Mission is, Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, Accessed 02-June-2009
  2. ↑ The Royal College of Defence Studies, College Mission, Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, Accessed 02-June-2009
  3. ↑ The Royal College of Defence Studies, About Us, Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, Accessed 02-June-2009
  4. ↑ The Royal College of Defence Studies, History, Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, Accessed 02-June-2009
  5. ↑ BBC News, British Invitation to Mugabe's Butcher, Panorama, Accessed 02-June-2009
  6. ↑ Jonathon Fryer, Air Marshal Lord Garden Obituary, The Guardian, 14-August-2007, Accessed 01-June-2009
  7. ↑ Royal College of Defence Studies,Visit to RCDS of His Excellency President Pervez Musharraf, Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, Accessed 02-June-2009
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