 We're launching a new module at Kings. It's called Hacking for Defence and it's unlike any module you've ever done before. It's not about hacking computer systems, it's about taking real-world problems and finding solutions. You fail fast, it's very hands-on, you learn from failure and you come up with what you think is a good solution to the problem. The class isn't about book learning, it's about learning a set of methods and skills and applying them to current government problems. And these methods are one of the key things that you'll take away from the class, a set of methods that you can use to solve the problems faced by any organization that you work for in the future. When you sign up to the module, you'll be assigned to a team of four to five students and then UK government have given us a series of problems. You work on one of those problems. You'll be assigned a mentor and you'll get out in the field, you'll meet people who face these problems on a day-to-day basis. You'll do interviews, you'll gather information, you'll understand that problem and your goal throughout this module will be to work towards a solution that can be presented back to government. One of the central ideas of Hacking for Defence is that you don't find solutions by sitting at a desk and working in the abstract. Instead you get out into the field, talk to people who have the problem and work to design a solution that meets their needs. This involves trial and error. Nobody gets it right the first time, but as you gather more information and get more feedback, your understanding of the problem and of the needed solution evolves. So what are you going to get out of this? You're going to learn methods that are used in the business world and apply these in a whole new way. Problem-solving, critical thinking, teamwork, communication, networking. All of these will be of great value when you go looking for jobs after your MA. So all of this sounds great but there is a catch. There's a lot of work involved. You're going to be doing, you and your team will be doing 10 to 15 interviews a week. You'll be applying start-up methods. You'll be presenting your findings in class. There's a lot of work. It's intense but it's also very rewarding. While the module will be a lot of work, there's also a lot of support to help you succeed. Each team's problem sponsor is also a mentor who will introduce you to people to interview as well as providing feedback and suggestions. Each week you'll also be getting feedback and support from the other student teams. And Matt and I are also on hand as the module conveners to provide guidance, answer questions and support your learning. Students who have taken this class at other universities say it's the hardest module they've ever done but also the most rewarding. Hacking for defense has been a huge success in the U.S. We're excited to be the first to bring it to the U.K. and can't wait to get started. Follow the link to the module handout and we'll see you in class.