Royal United Services Institute

RUSI was founded in 1831 – making it the oldest defence and security think tank in the world – at the initiative of the Duke of Wellington. Its original mission was to study naval and military science.

The Duke of Wellington spearheaded the establishment of RUSI in a letter to Colbourn's United Service Journal arguing that "a United Service Museum" should be formed, managed entirely by naval and military officers, and under patronage of the monarch, then King George IV, and the commanders-in-chief of the armed forces. Such an institution would prove that the two professions have entered the lists of science, and are ready to contend for honours tam Artibus quam Armis – 'as much through the arts as through weapons'.[2]

Subsequently, Commander Henry Downes, Royal Navy, assembled a group with a view to forming a committee for action, to which King George's First ADC was commanded to convey "His Majesty's gracious and high approbation of the undertaking and of the principles on which it is proposed to conduct it", which were stated to be suitable for "a strictly scientific and professional society, and not a club". The death of the King delayed matters, but the Duke of Clarence expressed his readiness to become a patron so, encouraged by the powerful support of the Duke of Wellington, the First Aide-de-camp, Sir Herbert Taylor, re-submitted the project to William IV (the former Duke of Clarence), and was able to assure the committee that "it could proceed under his Majesty's gracious auspices".

On 25 June 1831 the committee met. The chair was taken by Major General Sir Howard Douglas, in his person a symbol of the "United Service": a soldier who was the leading expert on naval gunnery. The resolution that the institution be established was put by the future Field Marshal Viscount Hardinge and seconded by the future Rear-Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort, the famous hydrographer. The first name adopted was the Naval and Military Museum: this was altered in 1839 to the United Service Institution, and in 1860 to the Royal United Service Institution by a royal charter of incorporation. In 2004 the name was changed to the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies. Fellows of RUSI may use the five-letter post-nominal abbreviation, FRUSI.

RUSI is a British institution; however, it operates with an international perspective. It promotes the study and discussion of developments in military doctrine, defence management and defence procurement. In recent years RUSI has broadened its remit to include all issues of defence and security, including financial and organised crime, terrorism and the ideologies which foster it and the challenges from other man-made or man-assisted threats and from natural disasters. The 2016-2017 Review and Annual Report are available [3] It won Prospect magazine's Think Tank of the Year Award in 2008.[4] In 2009, the same magazine named RUSI "Foreign Policy Think Tank of the Year".[5] In 2018, the awards shortlisted [6] RUSI in the Economic and Financial as well as the International Affairs categories.

RUSI has a membership consisting of military officers, diplomats and the wider policy community, numbering 1,668 individuals and 129 corporate members (see the last page of the latest Review).[3]

RUSI currently also has fifty Associate Fellows and twelve Fellows FRUSI.

RUSI members and the wider defence and security community have access to the following activities:

RUSI gets its funding from individual members as well as corporate members, which includes major corporations from numerous countries.[11][12] RUSI is governed by a council comprising vice-presidents, trustees and an advisory Council. Members serve for a three-year term.[13]

• List of UK think tanks

• Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies