The University of Exeter, a founding member of the UK Government's Defence Universities Alliance (DUA, is well positioned to support the priorities of the defence, security and resilience domains. Through its Exeter Defence, Security and Resilience (DSR) network it brings together over 250 academics from across the University to address complex defence and security challenges through interdisciplinary research, innovation and education.

Within the geo-spatial environment, Exeter combines expertise in geospatial intelligence, environmental intelligence, climate security, critical infrastructure resilience, offshore and maritime operations, artificial intelligence, machine learning and data science to deliver integrated approaches to understanding and responding to an increasingly contested and data-rich operating environment. The University also has strengths in GIS, remote sensing, Earth observation and environmental monitoring, supported by its links with the UK Space Agency, Goonhilly Earth Station and the wider South-West space ecosystem. The University is also involved in running a ground-breaking MBA in Defence and Space, with the Universities of Adelaide and Carnegie-Mellon.

Exeter is home to the Defence Data Research Centre (DDRC), which works with government, industry and academic partners to overcome their technical, cultural, and behavioural barriers to the use of data within AI and Data Science. Through national and international collaborations, including AUKUS and NATO-related initiatives, DDRC contributes to trusted and interoperable data capabilities that support operational decision-making across allied and coalition environments.