Teaching About Terrorism: University of Westminster

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?

The University has a ‘Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech Within the University’ and a ‘University of Westminster Diversity and Dignity at Work and Study Policy’. Copies of these documents are enclosed. Further more, the University has an IT Acceptable Use Policy readily accessible on its public website (see [1]). All these codes and policies, whilst not explicitly referencing Terrorism legislation, help guide staff and student behaviour in ways which may be relevant to your request. Additionally, the University provides guidance through its Research Ethics Committee on the procedures to be followed to consider and conduct research and in the bi-annual monitoring of research activity, which could possibly involve material relating to groups proscribed by the UK’s Home Office. Research guidance is readily accessible on the University’s public website (see [http://www.westminster.ac.uk/study/rs/key-documents).

• 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?

• 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?

• 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’?

Resources

• Freedom of Information Results, Teaching About Terrorism: FOI Results