RUSI Announces the Establishment of The Prince Philip Lecture on Military Education
'The Prince Philip Lecture on Military Education' is to be established as an annual lecture to honour the legacy of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who stressed the importance of military education at a speech delivered to RUSI in 1983.
To commemorate the 100th birthday anniversary of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, RUSI is honoured to announce the establishment of an annual lecture series in his memory.
‘The Prince Philip Lecture on Military Education’ will help to perpetuate the Duke of Edinburgh’s deep commitment to military education, which was underlined in an historic speech delivered at RUSI four decades ago, in June 1983.
In that speech, the Duke of Edinburgh called for the creation of a new institution designed to bring together various academic disciplines – including the sciences – to train the next generation of military officers and civil servants who form the backbone of our strategic community.
Four decades later, what Prince Philip advocated from the Institute’s podium is now featured as a government policy objective, which was included as part of a broader pledge to promote cross-government skills in the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy. Last week, RUSI hosted a conference examining the government’s proposed creation of a College for National Security.
Making the announcement, RUSI Director-General Dr Karin von Hippel said:
‘When we first discussed this conference with the Cabinet Office, the plan was to have it coincide with Prince Philip’s 100th birthday anniversary, as a tribute to his vision and as a symbolic completion of a historic circle in this national debate. But, sadly, this was not to be.’ ‘Nonetheless, RUSI is honoured to announce today that Her Majesty The Queen, our Patron, has given her gracious permission for the establishment of a yearly lecture to be entitled “The Prince Philip Lecture on Military Education”, which will not only mark his memory but also perpetuate his contribution in shaping the debate on the military profession. I am also grateful to the Cabinet Office for consenting to the establishment of this lecture which will henceforth bring together the best and the brightest thinkers on the topicof promoting national security skills.’
Dr Karin von Hippel
Director-General
The speaker and date of the first Prince Philip Lecture on Military Education will be announced later this year.