Defence firms will no longer attend Cardiff University following ‘woke’ backlash

Defence firms will no longer attend Cardiff University after facing backlash from student protestors.

Defence and arms companies have supposedly cancelled their attendance at university careers fairs across the UK due to security concerns.

They have also withdrawn from events nationwide due to advice from university security, The Times has reported.

Cardiff University is one of the institutions that will no longer be hosting defence firms for its careers fairs, along with the University of Edinburgh, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, and Warwick.

An industry source accused the UK-wide protests of creating a “quite literally hostile environment”, highlighting that preventing their safe access to university careers fairs is denying young people jobs.

Additionally, companies have blamed their decline in recruitment numbers as a direct result of student backlash.

Kevin Craven, chief executive of the ADS group, which represents aerospace and security companies, said students’ “woke approach” has resulted in the companies cancelling due to their own security fears. Calling the protests “unhelpful” and suggesting through preventing successful recruitment it will eventually “benefit foreign defence companies”.

This follows the significant backlash companies faced in February last year at an online Cardiff University careers fair. Protests took place outside the Cardiff University Centre for Student Life.

The protests carried on despite the decision to move the careers event online.

The Cardiffian reported the event location change was made to allow for “a more focused discussion” of the available opportunities, according to an email sent by Cardiff’s Student Futures.

Footage of these protests emerged on platforms Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.

Defence companies have claimed that hostility from has increased since the beginning of the Israel-Gaza conflict in October 2023.

The CEO of Leonado, Roberto Cingolani, accused university students of holding “biased points of view”, adding that peace “does not happen automatically”.

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A Cardiff University spokesperson told The Cardiff Tab: “Decisions about who is allowed on campus for recruitment purposes are made in line with our Code of Ethics and Impartiality statement (currently under review).

“This was agreed by the University’s Education and Student Experience committee and noted at Senate. The code is designed to help our careers team provide an impartial service that allows students and graduates to make informed choices about their future career paths.

“Whilst we appreciate that some of our students and staff will disagree with our approach, to meet the full range of aspirations it will, occasionally, include engagement with some sectors and employers that some disagree with.

“Our aim is to provide our students and graduates with the freedom, information and support needed to make their own career choices.”

“We make every effort to mitigate risks to ensure the safety and wellbeing of staff, students and visiting employers.”