Recent twists and turns of geopolitics have made it seem that the world is an uncertain place, with conflicts and clashes either playing out between countries or potentially in the pipeline.
That’s why wargaming is so important. From table-top strategy games to computerised simulations, wargaming is used by armed forces to prevent, prepare for or power through wars – and by emergency services, governments and big business as part of planning for economic and societal uncertainty.
Late last month Brunel University of London hosted the first UK Wargaming Institute in collaboration with Massachusetts Institute of Technology, welcoming Dr Erik Lin-Greenberg and Dr Eric Heginbotham from the MIT Security Studies Program. Spread across three days, these academic wargamers joined with Brunel experts to run a programme for staff from UK government and defence.
The event included sessions on wargame design, economic wargaming, historical methods and the ethics of wargaming, with a balance between practical exercises, gameplay and talks.
Dr Iain Farquharson, security studies lecturer at Brunel, said: “There was an array of talent and knowledge in attendance, from novices to seasoned professionals. It was good to see that all sessions generated widespread discussion and a free exchange of ideas.”
Dr Lin-Greenberg added: “It was fantastic to partner with Brunel on our first-ever international institute. The opportunity to integrate the expertise of Brunel faculty into the institute curriculum was incredibly valuable.”
Last year Brunel launched its master’s-level course in this subject: the Wargaming and Resilience Planning MA, the first such course anywhere in the world, according to Dr Farquharson.
Reflecting on the legacy of the UK Wargaming Institute, he said: “These early connections between Brunel and MIT hopefully mark the beginning of productive collaborations. The aim is to establish Brunel as a centre of excellence for wargaming in the UK, both in defence and non-military settings.”
There are hopes that the UK Wargaming Institute will become a regular feature of the collaboration between both Brunel and MIT, held according to the needs of clients in UK government, defence and beyond.
Reported by:
Joe Buchanunn,
Media Relations
+44 (0)1895 268821
joe.buchanunn@brunel.ac.uk