Tuesday April 28, 2026 | COLWOOD, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Military education is returning to Royal Roads University (RRU).
Military training was the foundation of the post-secondary institution in Colwood, then as as Royal Roads Military College. After the end of the Cold War, the college was decommissioned, however, it was reinstituted following negotiations between the Department of National Defence and the Government of British Columbia by which the Royal Roads University Act was passed, leading to the establishment of Royal Roads University in June 1995.
In recent decades RRU transitioned itself away from its military history with a focus on graduate-level training for career advancement and more recently by offering undergraduate programs.
What’s old is new again:
Last week, RRU signed an agreement with the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) to launch a new subsidized education pathway for naval officers and cadets that reintroduces RRU to its military roots.
The agreement for launching the Canadian Armed Forces Regular Officer Training Plan was signed on April 24, 2026 by RRU President Phillp Steenkamp and Major-General Jeannot Boucher, Commander, Canadian Defence Academy.
“This agreement marks an important new chapter for Royal Roads University,” said Steenkamp in social media on Friday.
Supporting military recruitment:
The establishment of this new pathway complements key initiatives to improve the CAF recruiting process, as was stated in a joint news release from RRU and CAF last week.
“Modernization efforts are already having a positive impact on the CAF’s ability to grow and rebuild to its authorized strength,” it was stated in the release.
“In a world marked by renewed geopolitical competition and persistent instability, the Canadian Armed Forces must prepare officers who are ready to lead in demanding, complex, and uncertain environments. This initiative expands our ability to educate and develop future leaders by combining academic excellence with structured military development, equipping our officers to think critically, lead with integrity, and meet the evolving security challenges facing Canada,” said Major-General Jeannot Boucher, Commander of the Canadian Defence Academy.
“As Canada’s university for changemakers, Royal Roads University is partnering with the Canadian Armed Forces to play an important role in strengthening leadership capability and career progression for Canadian Armed Forces personnel. Students can expect to benefit from flexible credential laddering, applied learning pathways and a focus on real-world problem solving,” said Dr. Philip Steenkamp, President and Vice-Chancellor of Royal Roads University.
Starting Fall 2026:
Approximately 40 CAF members will undertake studies at RRU starting in Fall 2026.
In addition to completing an undergraduate degree, this pathway will incorporate elements of leadership and ethics, fitness, health and wellbeing, and second official language training throughout the academic year.
This pathway offers a cohort-based, in-residence experience designed to prepare participants for a successful career in the CAF. As a new stream within the Regular Officer Training Plan (ROTP), the pathway complements existing CAF programs and supports expanded officer development capacity.
Joint planning:
A joint CAF–RRU committee will oversee the planning, delivery, and evaluation of the program.
The pathway is expected to inform future partnerships with additional Canadian post-secondary institutions, supporting the long-term sustainability of officer education and force generation for the CAF.
Canadian defence:
Under the Carney Liberal government there has been a boost on military and defence spending to, in part, reach the 2% of GDP requirement of NATO (which needs to be boosted to 5% by 2035 ).
Just about every news release from the PRime Minister’s office leads with a statement about the world now being more “dangerous, divided, and uncertain”.
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NEWS SECTIONS: POST SECONDARY | ROYAL ROADS UNIVERSITY | MILITARY and DEFENCE | NATIONAL DEFENCE