Under the framework of the project we will develop a collaborative network of partner higher education institutions (HEIs) aiming to consolidate fragmented knowledge, information and expertise in the area of risk and security governance. Each partner HEI has already developed very specific competence in the field of risk assessment and security governance that could be tied and integrated into curricula to strengthen governance capabilities in the Baltic-Nordic region. Project integrates different competencies that come from different countries in the region. This collaborative network will serve as a source for education and research projects among the HEIs. One of the key results of this network will be the development of interdisciplinary curricula in the area of risk and security governance. This curricula will be based on the study of regional security issues in order to find common challenges to address and on the ways risks and security issues are perceived in a societal context. Certain problems, such as as global warming, shortage of energy resources, migration, religious extremism and terrorism with nuclear or biological weapons, etc. pose risks that are created by people. Therefore risk and security governance splits into two fields of studies : risk prevention and security enforcement (crisis management). Curricula comprises the set of modules and will focus on 3 risk and security governance areas : Assessing and understanding risks; Managing risks and security; Risk communication. These curricula will consist of modules developed by the HEIs based on the specific competencies and research expertise of each partner. Each module will be developed by an international and interdisciplinary team. Innovative teaching methods and blended learning technologies will be utilized for the development of curricula. Partner HEIs will be able to utilize developed curricula or separate modules based on the needs and specific target groups within their country. An open access (virtual) Risk Laboratory will encourage cooperation of researchers and trainers and will serve as a tool for exchange of information and results of research, statistical data, reports, scientific literature, etc.
Constant presence of risks and uncertainties define contemporary societies. The Europe 2020 strategy names security as one of the main societal challenges for the next decade. To anticipate and address risks in a timely manner, and to achieve smart growth, the Europe 2020 strategy calls for strong risk and security governance. Although national policies on and strategies of risk governance have been developed in many European Union member countries, but recurring events demonstrate the lack of risk and security governance capacities, inconsistent decision-making and execution procedures within the governments and society at large. Risk and security governance education helps to develop resilient countries that are able to cope with economic, social, environmental and cultural challenges. However, risk and security governance education was very fragmented and discipline-bounded (it developed mainly from the public health, environmental and engineering studies) and thus often fails to consider risk in its full complexity and social context. Due to their location, the Baltic – Nordic countries have become the northern frontier of the European Union, and thus, eight EU countries and Norway face various common risk and security governance challenges that require regional development through transnational cooperation. Working together, streamlining their resources to ensure an effective and joined-up response could help achieve intended results that would lead towards the creation of strong and integrated societies. The aim of the project is to enhance risk and security governance capacities in the Baltic-Nordic region via the development of (1) the Academic Community of Practices (network) in Risk and Security Governance and (2) the interdisciplinary educational methodology based on digitalization of learning, teaching and training. The objectives: 1. to exchange know-how and expertise in Risk and Security Governance via strategic partnerships of Baltic-Nordic academic communities; 2. to develop an interdisciplinary curriculum on risk and security studies that will be integrated in the study and training programmes of the Baltic-Nordic academic institutions; 3. to establish a learning infrastructure using advanced and innovative learning and teaching technologies for enhancing risk and security governance awareness and competences; 4. to enhance awareness and competences in risk and security governance of various stakeholders and professional groups to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the potential effects of all types of disasters and emergencies. 6 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), namely University of Stavanger (UiS), University of Jyväskylä (JYU), Mid Sweden University (MIUN), General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy (LKA), Tallinn University of Technology (TUT) and Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) from 5 the Baltic-Nordic region countries (Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden) were partners implementing this project. The HEIs cooperation was based on the synergy of specific competencies and research expertise in dealing with a specific regional risk and security issue of each project partner. Project results came from activities which was stem from the aim and objectives of the project and are clustered into the development of: 1) collaborative network of partner HEIs acting as the Baltic-Nordic academic community of practices (CoP) concept; 2) interdisciplinary curriculum on risk and security governance comprising of a set of courses and focuses on 3 risk and security governance areas: Assessing and understanding risks; Managing risks and security; Risk communication. Each course encompasses innovative teaching methods and blended learning technologies; 3) learning infrastructure encompassing Learning Management System (LMS) consisting of Moodle and Massive Open Online Course (MOOC); and open access Risk Laboratory; 4) awareness and competences in risk and security governance of various stakeholders using the MOOC in Risk communication and disseminating the curriculum and training methodology developed. This project has set the foundations for interdisciplinary (i.e. bridging technologies, governance and risk/security issues) and holistic approaches to risk and security studies and training in the Baltic – Nordic region. It encourages a long-term perspective in decision-making processes, critical thinking, and holistic as well as innovative approaches to problem-solving for creating resilient societies. It has promoted the idea of comprehensive risk governance that was lacking in the curriculum of higher education. Under the framework of the project we developed a collaborative network of partner higher education institutions (HEIs) aiming to consolidate fragmented knowledge, information and expertise in the area of risk and security governance. The project integrated different competences that came up from different countries in the region.