Royal College of Defence Studies: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|British military training institute for senior officers}}

The '''Royal College of Defence Studies''' (RCDS) is an internationally-renowned institution and component of the [[Defence Academy of the United Kingdom]].

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{{Infobox university

|name = Royal College of Defence Studies

|image_name = RCDS.png

|image_size =

|caption =

|latin_name =

|motto = "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."

|established = 1927

|closed =

|type = Senior military college

|affiliation =

|parent = Constituent college of the [[Defence Academy of the United Kingdom]]

|endowment =

|officer_in_charge =

|chairman =

|chancellor =

|president =

|vice-president =

|superintendent =

|provost =

|vice_chancellor =

|rector =

|principal =

|dean =

|director =

|head_label = [[Commandant Royal College of Defence Studies|Commandant]]

|head = Lieutenant General [[George Norton|Sir George Norton]]

|faculty =

|staff =

|students =

|undergrad =

|postgrad =

|doctoral =

|other =

|city = [[Seaford House]], London

|state =

|province =

|country = United Kingdom

|coor = {{Coord|51|29|56.91|N|0|9|5.12|W|type:edu|display=title}}

|campus = Urban

|former_names = Imperial Defence College

|free_label =

|free =

|sports =

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|athletics =

|affiliations =

|website = {{URL|https://www.da.mod.uk/study-with-us/colleges-and-schools/royal-college-for-defence-studies}}

|logo =

|footnotes =

}}

The '''Royal College of Defence Studies''' ('''RCDS''') instructs the most promising senior officers of the [[British Armed Forces]], [[His Majesty's Diplomatic Service]] and [[Civil Service (United Kingdom)|Civil Service]] in national defence and international security matters at the highest level, to prepare them for the top posts in their respective services. It forms part of the [[Defence Academy of the United Kingdom]], and is its most senior and prestigious component. In addition, there are many overseas attendees from countries who are close allies of the United Kingdom.

The RCDS Mission is:

The college is based in London. It was known as the '''Imperial Defence College''' from its foundation in 1927 until 1970.

:"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".

==History==

Formerly the Imperial Defence College, RCDS owes its origins to the recommendation of a cabinet committee in 1922 presided over by [[Winston Churchill]], then Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Following discussion in the [[Committee of Imperial Defence]] in June 1920, a cabinet committee under [[Winston Churchill]], then [[Secretary of State for the Colonies]], met in March 1922 and recommended the formation of the College as "the beginnings of a common brain for the three Services".<ref name=history>{{cite web|url=http://www.da.mod.uk/colleges/rcds/About_Us/A%20History%20of%20RCDS |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20091211093408/http://www.da.mod.uk/colleges/rcds/About_Us/A%20History%20of%20RCDS |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 December 2009 |title=History of the Royal College of Defence Studies|publisher=Royal College of Defence Studies|access-date=24 December 2011}}</ref> The college was founded in 1927 as the Imperial Defence College and was located at 9 [[Buckingham Gate]] until 1939.<ref name=history/> Its objective at that time was to instruct senior military officers in the defence of the [[British Empire]], "to look at the problem of war as whole and not merely from a land, or sea, or air point of view."<ref name=history/> In 1946, following the end of World War II, the college reopened at [[Seaford House]], [[Belgrave Square]] and members of the [[United States Armed Forces]] started attending the course for the first time.<ref name=history/>

The college was founded in [[1927]] and was located at 9 [[Buckingham Gate]] until 1939. Its work in those days was chiefly concerned with defence of the [[British Empire|Empire]], with a population of 25 Members drawn from the UK, [[Australia]], [[Canada]] and [[New Zealand]].

In 1970, the IDC was renamed the '''Royal College of Defence Studies''' and several royal visits followed. [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|The Queen]] and [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh|Prince Philip]] visited the college in 2007 to mark its 80th anniversary.<ref name="history" />

The experience of the Second World War proved the benefits of such an institution for training senior service officers and governments and services of the Commonwealth for the college to resume its work.

==RCDS course==

In 1946 the college reopened at its site at [[Seaford House]], [[Belgrave Square]]. This was the first time members from the United States attended the course.

The RCDS mission is:

:"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."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.da.mod.uk/colleges/rcds/About_Us/College_Mission |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20091211093408/http://www.da.mod.uk/colleges/rcds/About_Us/College_Mission |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 December 2009 |title=College Mission|publisher=Royal College of Defence Studies|access-date=24 December 2011}}</ref>

The college was renamed to "Royal College of Defence Studies" in 1970. The course composition has been progressively widened to include members from over 33 different countries, including in recent years [[China]], [[Russia]], [[Ukraine]], [[Hungary]], [[Poland]], the [[Slovakia|Slovak Republic]] and [[Nepal]].

RCDS forms a part of the [[Defence Academy of the United Kingdom]]. In fulfilment of its mission, the college runs one course a year, from September to July.<ref name=hand>{{cite web|url=http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/1D07333E-66AB-4793-BFA4-7363DE6E80C0/0/RCDSHandbookSep2011.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111018051915/http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/1D07333E-66AB-4793-BFA4-7363DE6E80C0/0/RCDSHandbookSep2011.pdf|title=Royal College of Defence Studies Handbook 2011|access-date=24 December 2011|archive-date=18 October 2011}}</ref> {{As of|2024}}, each course is attended by approximately 110 full-time members.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last= |date= |title=Royal College of Defence Studies |url=https://www.da.mod.uk/study-with-us/colleges-and-schools/RCDS |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=www.da.mod.uk |language=en}}</ref> Attendees are military officers of [[Colonel]]/[[Brigadier]] or equivalent rank, and also include [[Home Office]] and [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] civil servants, [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office|Foreign Office]] diplomats, police officers and a few representatives from the private sector.<ref name=hand/> All members would have been selected to attend the course on the strength of their potential to progress to high positions within their professions.<ref name=hand/>

The college celebrated its 75th Anniversary in 2002. The occasion was marked by a visit by [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II]] and [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh|HRH The Duke of Edinburgh]].

The course composition has been progressively widened to include members from nearly 50 overseas countries per year,<ref name=hand/> who are invited by the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]] through diplomatic channels.<ref name=":0" /> Graduates of the college are entitled to the post-nominal letters '''rcds''', while prior to 1970 the post-nominal letters '''idc''' were used.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=Za7DCwAAQBAJ&dq=Royal+College+of+Defence+Studies+post+nominal+rcds&pg=PA42 European Military Culture and Security Governance]</ref>

RCDS forms a part of the new Defence Academy of the United Kingdom. In fulfilment of its mission, 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. 75% are military officers of [[Colonel]]/[[Brigadier]] or equivalent rank. The remaining 25% are civil servants, diplomats, police officers and representatives from the private sector. All have been selected to attend the course on the strength of their potential to progress to a high position within their profession. Their average age is 46.

Since 2001, course members have had the option of studying in a joint programme that leads to an [[Master of Arts|MA]] in International Security and Strategy from [[King's College London]].<ref name=hand/><ref>{{cite web|title=MA in International Security and Strategy|url=http://www.kcl.ac.uk/sspp/departments/dsd/study/maiss.aspx|publisher=[[King's College London]]}}</ref>

The College is under a [[Commandant]], currently [[Admiral]] [[Sir]] [[Ian Garnett]], [[Order of the Bath|KCB]], and senior directing staff are [[major-general]] and equivalent officers from the [[Royal Navy]], [[British Army]], [[Royal Air Force]], and [[British Civil Service|civil service]].

==Commandants==

== Distinguished former members of the course==

{{Main|Commandant Royal College of Defence Studies}}

[[Pervez Musharraf]] President of Pakistan

The College is led by the Commandant, currently Lieutenant General Sir [[George Norton]]. The Commandant leads the Senior Directing Staff of the College, who are in effect the faculty and are a mixture of active and retired military officers, diplomats and civil servants.<ref>{{cite web |title=Admirals Current |url=http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/Admirals-Current.pdf |website=gulabin.com |access-date=7 September 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.da.mod.uk/about-us/management-team/rear-admiral-john-kingwell-cbe |title=Rear Admiral J M L Kingwell CBE (John) Commandant Royal College of Defence Studies |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=16 May 2020 |website=da.mod.uk |publisher=UK Defence Academy |access-date=16 May 2020 |quote=He joined RCDS in May 2016 as Deputy Commandant and stepped up to become Commandant in July 2019.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Sir George Norton starts role as Commandant at the Royal College of Defence Studies |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/sir-george-norton-starts-role-as-commandant-at-the-royal-college-of-defence-studies |work=UK Strategic Command |___location=London |date=21 July 2020 |access-date= 22 July 2020 }}</ref>

== Alumni ==

[[Klaus Naumann]] Chairman of the NATO Military Committee

{{See also|Category:Graduates of the Royal College of Defence Studies}}

== Related links Faculty==

{{See also|Category:Academics of the Royal College of Defence Studies}}

*[https://da.mod.uk/RCDS/ Official website]

==References==

{{Reflist}}

==External links==

[[Category:Staff Colleges]]

*{{Official website}}

[[Category:Military of the United Kingdom]]

{{Defence Academy of the United Kingdom}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Royal College Of Defence Studies}}

[[Category:1927 establishments in the United Kingdom]]

[[Category:Staff colleges]]

[[Category:Military training establishments of the United Kingdom]]

[[Category:King's College London]]