About
Professor Kate Utting is the Head of the Defence Studies Department at King's College London and Director of Academic Studies at the Royal College of Defence Studies. She has held leadership roles within King’s Defence Studies Department (DSD) since 1997, including Deputy Head of Department (2014–2017) and Director of Academic Studies at the Royal College of Defence Studies (2017–2020). Her academic work focuses on Professional Military Education (PME), strategic communication, and British foreign/defence policy.
Utting’s educational background includes a first degree in diplomatic history and a PhD in Communications Studies. She has extensive experience in teaching security professionals globally across various formats, emphasizing curriculum innovation and academic resource planning. She led the academic implementation of the Command and Staff Academic Provision contract (2020–2022) at the Defence Academy of the UK.
Her research explores historical and contemporary strategic communication, including British military doctrine, colonial propaganda, and the impact of generational shifts (e.g., Generation Z) on PME. She is affiliated with the Sir Michael Howard Centre for the History of War, which focuses on war’s scholarly history, research training, and conferences.
Utting’s recent initiatives include launching the Athena Series (2024) to celebrate women in strategic studies and co-authoring pivotal works on JPME reform and historical conflict analysis.
