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Strengthening democracy, security and civil-military relations through security sector reform

Summary of the impact

The research conducted by Professor Timothy Edmunds has had three primary impacts. First, it has played a role in framing policy and setting the operational agenda for security sector reform (SSR) programmes by national governments and international organisations. Second, the research has had a direct influence on the substance of security and defence reforms in parts of the post-communist and western Balkan regions, particularly in relation to the consolidation of democratic control over the security sector. Finally, it has had an impact on the evolution of British defence policy and armed forces since 2007, and on the debate leading up to the introduction of a new Armed Forces Covenant in May 2011. The research addresses change and transformation in military, police and intelligence agencies through the development and evolution of the concept of SSR. In so doing, it examines how security actors can both threaten and facilitate democratisation and human security goals in post-authoritarian and post-conflict societies, and the manner in which these issues can be addressed through international policy. It also `reverse engineers' the questions and lessons of SSR to interrogate wider challenges of defence transformation and civil-military relations in western democracies, and particularly the UK.

Submitting Institution

University of Bristol

Unit of Assessment

Politics and International Studies

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Studies In Human Society: Policy and Administration, Political Science
Law and Legal Studies: Law

Human-centred security in government and commercial applications

Summary of the impact

Professor Sasse created, developed and delivered the user-centric perspective that now underpins security thinking in both corporate and public-sector domains. This perspective shaped the UK government's Identity Assurance Programme (IDAP), a federated identity solution that will provide access to all e-government services in the UK. HP has incorporated the compliance budget model into its Security Analytics product, which enables companies to calculate the impact of a given security mechanism on individual and corporate productivity. Sasse's work also underpins new and improved security products, including First Cyber Security's SOLID and Safe Shop Window tools, which protects over 70% of UK online shopping revenue; GrIDSure's one-time PIN system (now part of the SafeNet Authentication Service); and iProov's authentication service.

Submitting Institution

University College London

Unit of Assessment

Computer Science and Informatics

Summary Impact Type

Economic

Research Subject Area(s)

Economics: Applied Economics
Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services: Business and Management

A new doctrine for European response to conflict and disaster in developing and other countries

Summary of the impact

Professor Mary Kaldor convened a study group that proposed a new human security doctrine for the European Union at the request of its High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy. This doctrine defined a new approach for EU involvement in situations requiring a security and defence response, with special attention to conflict and disaster in developing countries. It has influenced security and defence policy at the EU and country member levels, and has proved to dramatically reduce violence and contribute to peacekeeping efforts and a return to civil society when applied in conflict-ridden contexts such as Chad, Somalia, Iraq and Libya.

Submitting Institution

London School of Economics & Political Science

Unit of Assessment

Anthropology and Development Studies

Summary Impact Type

Political

Research Subject Area(s)

Studies In Human Society: Political Science
Law and Legal Studies: Law

Learning from Aceh: improving EU peacekeeping missions

Summary of the impact

The analysis and evaluation of the performance of the Aceh Monitoring Mission (AMM) by Dr. Kirsten E. Schulze, an expert on the contemporary history of the Aceh conflict in Indonesia, contributed in four main ways to the improvement of EU peacekeeping missions and the adoption of a human security doctrine. Firstly, changes were made to the composition of peacekeeping missions to achieve a greater gender balance. Secondly, the training and preparation of external civilian security missions were altered with respect to greater gender sensitivity in the field. Thirdly, the AMM evaluation has, alongside other evaluations of European Security and Defence Policy (ESPD) missions, become part of the material studied by practitioners when undertaking training at the European Crisis Management Centre in Finland, which has also prepared a manual based on this research. Finally, and more generally, the research on the AMM (and other evaluations of ESPD missions) has served as the basis for devising a specifically European approach to security within the framework of the human security doctrine outlined in the September 2004 Barcelona Report.

Submitting Institution

London School of Economics & Political Science

Unit of Assessment

History

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Studies In Human Society: Policy and Administration, Political Science

Using secure software systems engineering to improve business processes and information systems

Summary of the impact

Work conducted at UEL in the area of secure software systems engineering has had impacts on both the private and public sectors, in the UK and abroad. Through its application to financial pre-employment screening it has enabled an award-winning UK company to improve its security processes and become a world leader with respect to secure systems in their sector. This has, in turn, allowed the company to develop a competitive advantage in the market and attract more and larger multinational clients. In the public service sector our work has enabled a Greek governmental department — the National Gazette — to analyse the security implications of fully automating their processes and identify security mechanisms that enhance the security of their new systems. This has improved their service delivery, with significant impacts on Greek society.

Submitting Institution

University of East London

Unit of Assessment

Computer Science and Informatics

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Information and Computing Sciences: Computation Theory and Mathematics, Computer Software, Information Systems

Security sector reconstruction through a conflict transformation approach in war-torn societies

Summary of the impact

The primary impact of this research has been the adoption and implementation of its recommendations at both field and policy levels, by a wide range of donor institutions, non-governmental organisations and local authorities working on peacebuilding and security challenges. At field level, the research has led to an observable change and quantifiable improvement in operations, primarily through engaging with major service providers such as the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). At policy level, the research has informed donors and other policymakers on matters related to security sector reconstruction — most notably the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT).

Beneficiaries: The case study outlines these strands of work with the IOM and DFAIT, which have both had an impact in Afghanistan and elsewhere. It also provides detail of work specific to the Philippines, which informed the approach of the Philippines' Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) and a number of local and international NGOs, towards local security provision and post-conflict reconstruction in Mindanao.

Submitting Institution

Coventry University

Unit of Assessment

Politics and International Studies

Summary Impact Type

Political

Research Subject Area(s)

Studies In Human Society: Political Science
Law and Legal Studies: Law

Transforming understandings of the merging of development and security

Summary of the impact

Professor Mark Duffield's research on the relationship between development and security has had a significant impact on the understandings and work of practitioners in many agencies worldwide, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Médecins sans Frontières (MSF), the UK Department for International Development (DfID), the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), the World Food Programme (WFP), and the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) Independent Diplomat in South Sudan and the Enough Project against genocide and other crimes against humanity.

Submitting Institution

University of Bristol

Unit of Assessment

Politics and International Studies

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Studies In Human Society: Policy and Administration, Political Science

Security Economics

Summary of the impact

Professor Ross Anderson's (University of Cambridge) research in security economics has had considerable impact on public policy and industry practice. Through two reports for ENISA, his work has directly influenced European Commission policy on combatting cyber-crime and on protecting the internet infrastructure. Through his membership of a Blackett Review and appearances before parliamentary committees, he has influenced UK government policy on cyber- security. Personally, and through the positions to which members his research team have moved, his research has influenced a range of organisations, including the US government, the European Union, Google, and Microsoft.

Submitting Institution

University of Cambridge

Unit of Assessment

Computer Science and Informatics

Summary Impact Type

Political

Research Subject Area(s)

Information and Computing Sciences: Computation Theory and Mathematics, Data Format

UK Defence and Security in an International Context: Developing Professionals

Summary of the impact

Impact arises from the application of Leeds-based research to enhance professional awareness and understanding of issues concerning contemporary UK defence and security within its broader international context.

The principal beneficiaries are serving personnel of the UK armed forces and the Ministry of Defence (MoD), as well as analysts, practitioners and future policy and strategy makers in the field of defence and security. They benefit through the contribution of this research to their continuing professional development; the promotion and pursuit of wider knowledge and understanding; and the provision of expert advice.

Submitting Institution

University of Leeds

Unit of Assessment

History

Summary Impact Type

Societal

Research Subject Area(s)

Studies In Human Society: Political Science
Language, Communication and Culture: Other Language, Communication and Culture
History and Archaeology: Historical Studies

National Security and Ministerial Responsibility: Shaping and Influencing Government Bills

Summary of the impact

Professor Adam Tomkins of the University of Glasgow provides research-based evidence and advice to the House of Lords Select Committee on the Constitution, serving as one of their legal advisers since 2009 and, in that time, drafting reports on more than 30 Government Bills. His research has directly influenced law and policy, most markedly in two recent Acts of Parliament. Tomkins' research on the constitutional conventions of ministerial responsibility influenced a series of amendments to the Health and Social Care Act 2012; his research into national security and the due process of law proved critical, again resulting in several amendments, to the Justice and Security Act 2013.

Submitting Institution

University of Glasgow

Unit of Assessment

Law

Summary Impact Type

Political

Research Subject Area(s)

Law and Legal Studies: Law

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