It’s a sad reality that schools, universities and other places of learning are becoming more vulnerable to crisis threats, from active assailant attacks, to kidnap risk, to financial crime and extortion. Stuart Mills, security risks – senior underwriter, discuss the challenges educational establishments face and how they can be assessed and managed.
Several recent security events involving students and teachers highlight the very real risks that educational establishments face. The risk environment can shift, often rapidly, and for centres of learning keeping track of these, and abreast of the need to manage safety and security, can be a challenge. But specific insurance coverages and the access to crisis management expertise that they provide can play a vital part in helping to keep students and teachers safe.
Active assailant attacks in schools and colleges have, tragically, become increasingly common in recent years. These attacks can happen anywhere in the world, but some of the most high-profile events have taken place in the United States, where there have been more than 650 school shootings since 2012.
Schools across the world are continuing to increase security measures to try to reduce the risk of these attacks and to review their practices.
This need to continually update security practices was underlined in 2023, when a former student at a school in the United States, shot and killed several people. Although the school had security protocols in place, the incident prompted many private schools – which are not subject to the same government requirement for safety plans as public schools in the United States – to review their practices.
In addition to the security risks that educational establishments face, many commentators believe that more must be done to safeguard the mental wellbeing of teachers and other education staff in the face of safety concerns and other stress-related issues.
Students and teachers can also be vulnerable to kidnapping – particularly when conducting study abroad or away from campus – and may require evacuation if they are studying or working in an area where political disputes escalate, or geopolitical conditions worsen. For example, last year, a group of international education professionals required immediate evacuation from Khartoum, Sudan, after violent conflict broke out between rival paramilitary groups.
Other risks that educational establishments might face include financial crime – many universities still accept payment of fees and accommodation costs in cash, making them vulnerable to embezzlement and money laundering activities. And not all staff may be trained in how to spot suspicious activity. Schools, colleges and universities may also be vulnerable to risks including the radicalisation of students, cyber extortion and adverse publicity.
This is a complex and evolving risk picture and one that can be challenging to manage for institutions that may not employ risk and security professionals and which, by their nature, tend to be open and often international environments.
Prepare, prevent, manage
The security risks that educational institutions face are varied and threat levels are changing all the time. These risks are also highly sensitive and often emotive.
For those within schools and universities who are responsible for security and risk management this may seem a daunting and complex area – and they are, naturally, constantly mindful of the duty of care they have to students and colleagues.
Education Crisis Cover is a valuable tool in helping schools, universities and other sites of education to assess, manage and transfer elements of these risks. Programmes can include a wide range of coverages to address these risks including active assailant; cyber-bullying; financial crime; student fatality; threat and civil commotion, among others.
But perhaps the most valuable aspect of this coverage is the access to crisis management consultants – in the case of 色多多视频 this role is carried out by leading firm S-RM.
Crisis management expertise can help clients with pre-crisis prevention, planning, crisis response – including triage, threat assessments, security risk assessments and ongoing monitoring, and much more.
Crisis management consultants have a deep understanding of the ways in which security risks can emerge and manifest and of the nuances of these risks for educational establishments which, by their nature, are often open and fluid environments.
We all wish for students to be educated in safe, secure conditions and to be able to enjoy opportunities to travel, research and learn alongside fellow students from around the world. Education Crisis Cover will, we hope, give educational institutions tools with which to assess, manage and transfer some of the risks faced by centres of learning.
