University welcomes European Commissioner

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One of the European Union’s most senior officials will outline the benefits of continued UK-EU cooperation against terrorism and cybersecurity, in a public lecture at the University of Stirling.

Sir Julian King

Sir Julian King.

Sir Julian King, European Commissioner for the Security Union, will deliver the Andrew Williamson Memorial Lecture on Thursday 1 February 2018. Sir Julian will consider some of the issues that will shape the development of a future UK-EU relationship.

A former diplomat and senior civil servant, Sir Julian was appointed as the UK’s nomination to the European Commission in 2016. His lecture comes as the UK Government embarks on a second phase of Brexit negotiations with European political leaders.

Speaking ahead of the lecture, Sir Julian King said: “Security is one of the areas, whatever else happens in the wider Brexit discussions, where there is a clear self-interest — a shared self-interest, of the EU27 on one side and the UK on the other — to find productive ways of continuing to work together as close as possible.”

Legacy

Now in its 35th year, the Williamson Lecture was established in memory of Andrew John Williamson, a University of Stirling politics student who was tragically killed in a road accident in 1981. The memorial lecture was created and funded by his parents with the aim of bringing a high profile political speaker to the University each year to speak on a theme of contemporary political interest.

Previous speakers have included Nicola Sturgeon, Vince Cable, and Ruth Davidson.

Background information

Enquiries to Matt Francis, Public Affairs Manager, on 01786 467 946 or matthew.francis@stir.ac.uk