Teaching About Terrorism: University of Teesside

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 ?

University students are not as a matter of course - provided with specific information or advice on potential liability under Terrorism legislation. However, the University has identified one of its corporate risks as the inappropriate transfer of knowledge and a risk assessment is regularly undertaken in relation to this risk, detailing the processes which are in place to manage the risk of any potential misuse of equipment and resources. In addition, staff and students are provided with guidance on research ethics procedures before they commence a piece of research and this includes reference to the need for appropriate risk assessments to be undertaken. Academic supervisors are expected to be aware of the nature of the work undertaken by students and to approve such work before it commences. This offers the potential to identify areas of concern at an early stage. A briefing on the risks, mitigation approaches and research supervisor responsibilities has been incorporated into the training programme for new research supervisors (attached). In addition, appropriate technical staff who oversee equipment and facilities are provided with specific training in areas where the risks/potential impact is perceived as the most significant.

• 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 ?

The University has module approval and review procedures which incorporate consideration of such matters, but does not have a separate procedure which reviews questions of safety and risk under Terrorism legislation.

• 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 ?

The University does not have any system, policy or procedure in place for dealing specifically with any potential actions taken by the authorities against the institution, its students or staff under Terrorism legislation. In appropriate cases, the University may invoke the staff or student disciplinary policies.

• 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’

The University's precautions are as set out in answer to Question 1.

Resources

• Freedom of Information Results, Teaching About Terrorism: FOI Results
• University of Teesside Response, Teaching Terrorism FOI 1, Scribd, Accessed 20-December-2010
• Inapropriate Use of Knowledge & the Research Supervisor, Research Supervisor Training 2009, Scribd, Accessed 20-December-2010