First Intensive Study Program in project NEEDS

by Kaspars Vārpiņš | kaspars.varpins@liepaja.lv

November 1 to 5, for the whole week took place the first Intensive Study Program in the Erasmus+ funded project “Needs-based education and studies in societal security” (NEEDS). Because of the pandemic, the ISP took place virtually. More than 30 participants – teachers, students and practitioners – from the Baltic Sea Region during the 1st ISP learned about various societal security aspects.

During the ISP the students learned about the societal security in general, furthermore deepening their knowledge about crisis diagnosis, climate change and various intergovernmental organizations and their role of strengthening collaboration and trust in societal security. The highlight of the ISP was the analysis of the case study.

During the project, it is planned to develop four case studies around various societal security topics. In the first ISP the analyzed case study was about climate change. Students were provided with four different scenarios of the climate change. In the supervision and input of teachers and practitioners, students executed their gained knowledge and prepared crisis diagnosis for their assigned scenario.

During the project until year 2023 there will be few more ISP’s. But at the end of the project two main outcomes will occur – created short online course on societal security in the Baltic Sea Region for students and practitioners, as well a “community of professionals” network and an interface for collaboration will be established.

Two of the project NEEDS partners are from the UBC Safe Cities Commission – Liepaja Municipal Police and Hamburg Fire and Rescue Service. In addition few more UBC Safe Cities Commission members were involved in the successful run of the first NEEDS ISP.