On Saturday 31 October 2026, the U3AC hosted 82 participants at Emmanuel College for a one-day conference exploring the UK’s position on the global stage. Attendees took part in hour-long workshops centered on three critical themes, introduced by leading experts:
Our Military Capability – Introduced by Doug Chalmers (Master of Emmanuel College, Chair of the Ethics & Integrity Commission, and former Lieutenant General & MOD Director of Operations).
Our Relationship with Russia – Introduced by Sir Laurie Bristow (President of Hughes Hall, former Ambassador to Russia and Ambassador to Afghanistan during the evacuation of Kabul).
Our Relationship with the Rest of the World – Introduced by Lord (Simon) McDonald (Master of Christ’s College, former Ambassador to Israel and Germany, and former Permanent Under-Secretary at the FCO).
Thank you to our speakers and all who attended for making it a thought-provoking and engaging day.
The conference report is available to view once members have logged in.