A Conversation with Michele Groppi and Frank Foley

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Gain insight into the realities of global security in this conversation with Michele Groppi and Frank Foley (pictured), academics on King’s College London’s Global Security MSc.

In this interview, they share their academic backgrounds, teaching approach, and what students can expect from studying global security at postgraduate level — from real-world policy challenges to career pathways in international organisations, government, and beyond.

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Michele: I am Dr Michele Groppi and I am a Senior Lecturer in Defence Studies within the Defence Studies Department at King's College London and the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom. Our MA in Global Security is concerned with society's biggest security challenges, from war and instability to climate change, terrorism and pandemics. The programme has been designed to give students the skills they need to think about security issues holistically and to find practical solutions to the dilemmas they pose.

Frank: I am Dr Frank Foley and I am a Senior Lecturer in International Relations at the Department of War Studies, King's College London. I think one of the strengths of our Global Security programme is that it combines a focus on human security and other aspects of the discipline that are often overlooked alongside classic approaches to security.

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Michele: I am a former professional athlete (men's volleyball), who has always had an interest in international relations and global affairs. I got my BA from Stanford University, my MA from IDC Herzliya and my PhD from King's, at the Defence Studies Department. I have been Co-Director of the Global Security programme since 2024.

Frank: I am a scholar who is interested in international security, political violence and human rights. My first book was called “Countering Terrorism in Britain and France: Institutions, Norms and the Shadow of the Past” and I’m currently conducting research on the politics of torture. I have a PhD in Political Science from the European University Institute in Florence, and prior to that I studied at Stanford and Cambridge universities and University College Cork. I joined the Global Security programme as Co-Director alongside Michele in 2025.

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Frank: King's College London is ranked very high not only among UK universities but also internationally. Teaching on the programme is delivered by the School of Security Studies, which has an excellent reputation as one of the world’s leading academic communities focused on security, war and peace. Rather than offering a nationally-oriented view, we designed a programme which offers a truly global perspective on security – due to the expertise of our community, which is international in both its background and research focus. Our faculty is also highly diverse in terms of gender, ethnicity, specialisms (from traditional security theories and themes to critical subjects and theories), and seniority (from early career academics to senior professors).

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Frank: You’ll be expected to work independently with readings and explore beyond the core materials. Writing analytical essays is a big part of the course- which some students can find challenging at first – but it’s a key skill that you’ll build along the way and one that will boost your critical evaluation skills and employability. The programme is organised into three stages, which you complete in turn before moving on to your dissertation. This structure helps you progress step by step, from basic concepts to more advanced analysis.

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Michele: Our programme is built to be as inclusive, accessible and flexible as possible. We are privileged to have students from all over the world, living in different time zones. Hence, thanks to our teams of internationally renowned experts, we've created modules that effectively combine asynchronous lectures - filled with great reading material, graphs, videos, podcasts - variegated sets of stimulating learning activities - including discussion fora and the writing of personal journals - and individual study time. We did so to enable all course members to work at their own pace whilst preparing them for formative and summative assessments. Speaking of which, essays are the main assessment tools we use, providing students with an opportunity to explore the big questions our courses touch upon.

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Frank: The programme enables learners to deepen their capacity for critical thinking on Global Security, while also allowing them to develop a very practical understanding of today’s security challenges. This ability to critically evaluate issues and evidence in-depth is highly valued by employers. Through real-world case studies, you’ll develop the skills to balance the often competing needs of protecting people, governments, and the environment in a complex global landscape. We have always sought to appeal to a wide range of security and peace related professions, from military and risk management industries to human rights organisations (NGOs and international organisations). We have had very good mixes across our student cohorts, with graduates going on to pursue successful careers in all of these areas.

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Michele: I am biased, because I do think all modules are truly well put together and each I-Lecture, each reading, each activity gives something valuable. However, if I have to choose, I will say "Community, Conflict and Justice" - we don't have anything similar at King's and that module really offers a chance to explore and debate concepts about societal unity, democracy and freedom of expression that are so vital and current.

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Michele: Even though I love being in the classroom, I equally love online teaching - it can be super inclusive, democratic and a true window on the world. After a number of years delivering online modules, I have acquired a set of skills that I thought could contribute to the overall programme and, here I am! I couldn't be happier and more grateful for this position, which I cherish every day.