Call for Blogs: National Security Campaign Week 2023 #NatSec2023
We would like to invite members to contribute to techUK’s National Security Campaign Week which this year will centre around the upcoming republication of the Integrated Review, which was published in March 2021 and is being re-published in 2023. During the week beginning 16 January 2023, we’ll explore some of the key themes around how the UK can strengthen national security through the use of technology, what the current threat landscape looks like and whilst looking ahead, what future threats we could envisage.
Have you got a good story to tell about how your organisation is helping to strengthen UK national security, or what threats the UK is currently facing? Are you developing an industry-leading perspective in a particular national security technology? Or do you have some solutions about how we can improve understanding of national security risks or anticipate and tackle large-scale threats? Then this is a great opportunity to get the word out!
Each day during the week we’ll explore one of five themes with blog posts, tweets (#NatSec2023) and case studies. This could be a thought leadership blog post (600–800 words), a case study or a video that demonstrates your view on this issue. We’d like to invite you to contribute on one of the topics outlined below. If you wish to contribute to a different topic, we would be more than happy to take on suggestions and explore this further.
Themes of the week
Monday: Countering terrorism with technology – As laid out in his annual threat update in November 2022, MI5 Director General Ken McCallum noted that ‘progress in countering terrorism continues’. Similarly, following the recent announcement of the refresh of the UK Counter terrorism strategy – CONTEST, we want to hear how technology is evolving to respond to and combat the threat of terrorism and additionally, how police forces are making use of the innovative technologies to stay protected on the front line? We would love to hear your views on how the security sector is working with its customers to mitigate future threats and vulnerabilities in the effort to counter terrorism.
Tuesday: The criticality of data – Data can increase the investigative capabilities of national security organisations in many relevant aspects and as government and partners adopt new technologies as part of their digital transformation programmes (from automation, to AI to 5G-enabled devices) there is an understanding that the success of these efforts depends upon the vast flow of data available. We’re looking for blogs and case studies which highlight what members are doing that is contributing to the advancement of data collection, monitoring, sharing, storage, and analytics which will allow government and public sector organisations to become much more data-driven to support real-time decision making on national security issues.
Wednesday: Innovation in national security – It is no secret that the UK can keep ahead of the game by developing new intelligence and security capabilities through innovative technologies as old ones become outdated and compromised. So, what are those emerging technologies that are leading this change? We want to hear from members on how innovation in national security can be used pro-actively to get ahead of the threat trajectory, what are some of the challenges faced by the technology industry which if solved, could lead to a more effective relationship between government and industry and finally what transformative, future technologies the UK can adopt to cement the aim laid out in the Integrated Review 2021 of becoming a science and technology superpower.
Thursday: Threats in a virtual world – National security isn’t just about warfare or physical conflict as we all know, with the threat of ransomware for example, being ever-present. Elevating cyber security to a national security concern is key as virtual crime often transcends borders. On this day, we would like to hear from members who can showcase their capabilities in keeping the UK protected from cybercrime which may display high-end capabilities from nation-state threats. Insights could also cover how the government can secure its own estate in a virtual world, with the creation and elevation of the metaverse at play.
Friday: Looking ahead at emerging threats – Since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine at the beginning of 2022, both the UK and global threat landscape has ultimately shifted. To wrap up the week, we ask members for submissions focusing on looking ahead at emerging threats in the coming years. How may the war in Ukraine impact the UK’s strategic priorities as set out in the initial Integrated Review, what policy focused on security and resilience could the government better engage with industry on and essentially, what national security threat could we tackle through the power of technology before it is even in the spotlight.
How to contribute (including key dates)
Thank you to all who have expressed an interest already. If you would like to contribute, please email Tracy Modha ([email protected]) with your blog submission by COP Wednesday 11 January 2023.
When you submit the blog, please can you also include the name, job title of the author as well as a blog title (max 60 characters), a headshot of the author and any social media handles you would like us to use when promoting it.
You can learn more by reading our contributor guidelines.
If you have any queries or require any further information please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Fred Sugden
Fred Sugden
Fred is responsible for techUK's activities across the Defence and National Security sectors, working to provide members with access to key stakeholders across the Defence and National Security community. Before taking on the role of Associate Director for Defence and National Security, Fred joined techUK in 2018, working as the Programme Head for Defence at techUK, leading the organisation's engagement with the Ministry of Defence. Before joining techUK, he worked at ADS, the national trade association representing Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space companies in the UK.
Fred is responsible for techUK’s market engagement and policy development activities across the Defence and National Security sectors, working closely with various organisations within the Ministry of Defence, and across the wider National Security and Intelligence community. Fred works closely with many techUK member companies that have an interest in these sectors, and is responsible for the activities of techUK's senior Defence & Security Board. Working closely with techUK's Programme Head for Cyber Security, Fred oversees a broad range of activities for techUK members.
Outside of work, Fred's interests include football (a Watford FC fan) and skiing.
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- [email protected]
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