Teaching About Terrorism: University of Loughborough

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

• 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?

Staff are advised through their appointment documentation, the new starters WebPages and the University Induction. Details are also on the HR WebPages and accessible to all staff. Confide is available to all staff and students to support them if they feel that they have been bullied or harassed. Again details are provided as above plus posters and contact cards. Information is provided to students from the centre of the University via the Student Handbook. There is a section in this on Equality and Diversity which includes links to information on harassment policies and support. Information is also provided on LSU which links to the LSU code of practice which makes reference to Freedom of Speech. In principle therefore we have these areas covered. However, whilst doubtless some of this material could be enhanced to some extent, the biggest issue is probably whether students actually read the info in the Student Handbook and how we get key information over to them in the right way at the right time. This is being reviewed as part of efforts to improve induction and the redevelopment of the Student Handbook concept as part of the migration of the Registry website to the Content Management System.

• 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?

Loughborough University does not centrally approve reading lists and thus does not review or assess them.

• 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?

Loughborough University does not have any formal 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.

• 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’

Loughborough University does not have any formal system, policy or procedure in place for ‘preventing violent extremism’ but has clearly reviewed the government guidance document ‘Promoting Good Campus Relations’ and assessed its position against this.

Resources

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