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The Strategic and Defence Studies Centre has a unique multidisciplinary blend of teaching staff that includes not just academics who are leaders in their fields of Asia-Pacific security, defence studies and Australian defence, but former high ranking Department of Defence officials, former intelligence offers, and staff with extensive military and naval experience.

Our approach to education develops professionals with the ability to analyse, understand, and resolve the challenges of contemporary strategic studies. Graduates have gone on to join the Australian Public Service in the Department of Defence, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Department of Home Affairs, Attorney General's Department, and the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. 

Undergraduates
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William Baulch - practical skills and impressive guest lecturers
"International Security Studies complemented and contrasted the International Relations degree, giving me a deeper understanding of complex global issues".
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Sophie Rolph - breadth of content, and great intern opportunities
"The work opportunities are great in Canberra. While studying a Bachelor of International Security Studies, I interned with the Commonwealth Treasury and the Australian House of Representatives".
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Dana Throssell - awaken an interest in gender security
"Because the course focuses on the Pacific, it was awesome to learn more about the region and the increasingly important non-traditional security sectors such as gender and environmental security".
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Hannah Woodford-Smith - cybersecurity and criminology unite
"Studying at ANU just opens up so many opportunities. Where else can you learn from former Ambassadors or Secretaries of government departments?".
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Sanjoli Banerjee - shaping leaders with pragmatic skills and values
Bachelor of International Security Studies alumna Sanjoli Banerjee recently won the Diana Award for her campaigns against female foeticide and environmental degradation.
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Jack Ayoub
"The degree digs down and examines some of the security challenges and encourages you to cast a critical eye over long-held assumptions and ideas".

Postgraduates
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Joel Einstein
The ideas and concepts Joel learnt throughout his Master of Strategic Studies have helped him tremendously in his role at the Department of Defence.
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Nathalie Blakely
Inspired after working in New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, studying a Master of Strategic Studies was the natural choice for Nathalie.
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Samuel John Cox
"The reputation of the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre as Australia’s centre of excellence for education in strategy and defence inspired me to uproot my life from Perth and move to Canberra".
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Shayal Singh
After completing her bachelor, Shayal still wanted more information to keep building her career in the security industry.
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Lauren Hanley
"No other university has the same calibre of teachers or contacts in the public service. If you want to be in the Strategic Studies field, you have to be at ANU".
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David Vallance
David's passion about history and political affairs led him to complete his undergrad degree in War Studies and Master of Strategic Studies at ANU.
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Elke Larsen
Elke was a founding member of the student-led organisation ‘Women in Master of Strategic Studies’ which advocates for inclusivity and celebrates the contribution of women strategists at the SDSC.
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Rohana Prince
"I chose to do the Master of Strategic Studies program in order to study with Australia’s leading strategic thinkers".
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Thomas Paterson - internship, study tour and a war-gaming retreat
Thomas just needed to look at the ANU Master of Strategic Studies program structure and its subjects to fall in love and move from Melbourne to Canberra.
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Anna Samson - focussed on the dynamics and causes of conflicts
With two first-class honours degrees, and several years’ experience working with NGOs, Anna Samson decided to do a Master at SDSC to get a new perspective on conflicts and the dynamics of war.
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Daniel Nichola - learning in a policy-relevant context
"The Master of Strategic Studies provided me with a conceptual framework for thinking about real-world strategic considerations".
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Esther Sainsbury
Living and studying in Indonesia as part of the ANU Year in Asia Program led Esther to continue her study journey in Asian studies and complete the Master of Strategic Studies at SDSC.

Graduate research (HDR)
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Peter Lee
Dr Peter K. Lee reflects on his PhD journey. As a Korean-Australian, he has always been interested in Australia, Korea, and their place in the world.
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Tommy Sheng Hao Chai
Tommy’s lifelong passion for studying and contributing to history — especially in Asia — was the driving force to study a Master of Strategic Studies.

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