Security & Defence PLuS Annual Report 2025
Security & Defence PLuS Annual Report 2025 | 13 January, 2026
“Over the past twelve months, Security & Defence PLuS has continued to mature as a genuinely trilateral enterprise linking Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Our core proposition remains clear: to bridge policy, academia, industry, and practitioners to generate practical, decision-relevant insight for an increasingly contested security environment.”
– Brig (R’td) Dr Ian Langford, DSC and Bars, Executive Director, Security & Defence PLuS
As the flagship program of the PLuS Alliance, Security & Defence PLuS leverages the strengths of Arizona State University, King’s College London, and the University of New South Wales to address pressing global security and defence challenges.
The Security & Defence PLuS Annual Report 2025(Open Link in new window) opens with a letter from Executive Director Dr Ian Langford and reflects on a year of consolidation, growth, and sharpened strategic purpose. It highlights major developments across education, research, partnerships, leadership, and advocacy, and captures the expanding impact of S&D+ across Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Indo-Pacific.
We also take this opportunity to thank the PLuS universities and all collaborators and contributors whose support continues to shape and strengthen the initiative.
Consolidation, Growth and Sharpened Strategic Purpose
Education: Eight new online short courses added to the portfolio, the launch of the UNSW MBAX (Security & Defence), and significant progress on new pipeline offerings.
Research and Partnerships: Eight new seed grant projects awarded, three projects supported through second-round seed funding, major collaborative research grants and contracts, and deepened engagement with government and defence stakeholders.
Leadership and Advocacy: Delivery of the Athena Series in Phoenix and Canberra, the inaugural Indo-Pacific Security Forum in Hawaii, the Future Security Forum in Washington DC, and the Joint Conference on Comprehensive Security in Tokyo and Kyoto.
Media and Content: Expanded global media engagement, strong visibility through university channels, and continued growth across LinkedIn, the website, and the S&D+ newsletter network.
Download our Annual Report 2025(Open Link in new window)
If you have questions about Security & Defence PLuS or are interested in partnering with us, please reach out to us at [email protected].
