The Future of Intelligence

On-campus & remote (online) learning available. Students participate in interactive, real-time classes. 2026 class dates: September 7, 14, 21 Knowledge is integral to security, but the value of intelligence — the process by which information is acquired, analysed and disseminated for unique insights — is under challenge. In an era of disruption, complexity and information saturation, the changing role of intelligence is a central concern for national security policymakers and analysts. This course provides students with sufficient foundational awareness of intelligence issues to enable them to critically evaluate the utility of 21st century espionage and thus anticipate its evolution. The course will focus on future-oriented intelligence issues, notably the rise of open source intelligence and big data analytics, the democratisation of signals intelligence and geospatial-intelligence capabilities once monopolised by the state, the ubiquity of cyber, the collapsing distinction between domestic and foreign intelligence, growing public transparency expectations, and the challenge to 20th century intelligence-sharing alignments, especially the Five Eyes. In line with the NSC signature pedagogy and drawing on the NSC’s network of senior former intelligence officials, practitioner perspectives will be integrated throughout where possible, with the academic convener connecting their insights to the growing scholarly literature on 21st century spying.