Teaching About Terrorism: Brunel University

Teaching About Terrorism is a 2009/10 research project funded by C-SAP, one of the Higher Education Academy's subject networks. The project aims to research the extent and nature of teaching about terrorism in UK Universities, primarily in the disciplines of Sociology, Politics and Criminology.

Freedom of Information Request 1

According to the response of this University to the initial four part teaching terrorism FOI request, the answer to all four questions was 'no' . The four questions being:

• Does your institution provide any information or advice to students or staff on any potential liability under Terrorism legislation which might result from accessing materials for teaching or research?

In response to questions 1, 3, and 4, we do not have any policies, procedures, systems or other documents which deal with these issues. There is a paragraph concerning terrorism on our Security page, which is available on our [www.brunel.ac.uk website]. The Union of Brunel Students, which is a separate organization not subject to the Freedom of Information Act, does sponsor an Islamic Society and runs an Islamic Awareness week every year.

• Does your institution have any kind of procedure to review or assess reading lists, module descriptors or other teaching materials which explicitly or in practice considers questions of safety and risk under terrorism legislation as part of its remit?

With regard to question 2, all module proposals are reviewed, but not for issues relating to terrorism legislation. They are reviewed for issues relating to intellectual content, coherence, methods, etc.

• Does your institution have any system, policy or procedure in place for dealing with any potential actions taken by the authorities against the institution, its students or staff under Terrorism legislation?

In response to questions 1, 3, and 4, we do not have any policies, procedures, systems or other documents which deal with these issues. There is a paragraph concerning terrorism on our Security page, which is available on our [www.brunel.ac.uk website]. The Union of Brunel Students, which is a separate organization not subject to the Freedom of Information Act, does sponsor an Islamic Society and runs an Islamic Awareness week every year.

• Does your institution have any system, policy or procedure in place for ‘preventing violent extremism’ as recommended for example in the government guidance document ‘Promoting Good Campus Relations’.

In response to questions 1, 3, and 4, we do not have any policies, procedures, systems or other documents which deal with these issues. There is a paragraph concerning terrorism on our Security page, which is available on our [www.brunel.ac.uk website]. The Union of Brunel Students, which is a separate organization not subject to the Freedom of Information Act, does sponsor an Islamic Society and runs an Islamic Awareness week every year.

Resources

• Freedom of Information Results, Teaching About Terrorism: FOI Results
• Brunel University, Teaching About Terrorism Response to FOI 1, Scribd