About this course: Security and safety challenges rank among the most pressing issues of modern times. Challenges such as, cyber-crime, terrorism, and environmental disasters impact the lives of millions across the globe. These issues also rank high on the agenda of politicians, international organizations and businesses. They also feature prominently in the public conscience and in governmental policies. In the current, interconnected world, security challenges are becoming increasingly complex. Facilitated by developments as globalization and the spread of networked and hyper-connected technologies, new safety and security challenges arise and impact local, national, regional and international levels, which dramatically increases their complexity and scale. As such, solutions to contemporary security challenges require a wide array of actors operating on multiple levels of governance. The course will introduce you to the broad theme of security and safety in an increasingly complex world. Together we will search for answers to important questions: what is security and safety? How can we understand complex modern-day security and safety challenges? And how do we deal with such challenges? This course combines scholarly inquiry from multiple disciplines (ranging from terrorism studies, to crisis management, to medical science) with real-life cases to explore and understand complex modern-day safety and security challenges.
Who is this class for: This course does not require previous knowledge of the subject. It has been designed for (prospective) students as well as practitioners in the field of safety and security who are seeking to deepen or broaden their knowledge and understanding. This course is free, and will remain free for participants. There is also the option to purchase a certificate.
Created by: Universiteit Leiden
Taught by: Bibi van den Berg, Dr.
Institute of Security and Global Affairs
Taught by: Ruth Prins, Dr.
Institute of Security and Global Affairs
| Level | Beginner |
| Commitment | 6 weeks of study, 3-5 hours/week |
| Language | English |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
Syllabus
WEEK 1
Introduction
Welcome to the first module! This module features an introduction to the course and explains the main topic addressed, as well as introduces you to the teaching staff. Before you start with studying we invite you to first go through our introductory resources and introduce yourself in the forum to meet your fellow learners. If you encounter any difficulties while studying, please let us know in the forum. For technical difficulties or questions regarding the course certificate, you can always contact the Coursera Learner Helpdesk. Good luck and we hope you will enjoy the course!
1 video, 5 readings
- Video: Introduction to the course
- Reading: Meet the instructors & the team
- Reading: Welcome to Leiden University
- Reading: Tips for studying online
- Reading: Being successful in an international virtual learning community
- Reading: Behaving in an academic way
- Discussion Prompt: Introduce yourself
Global Challenges and Wicked Problems
In this module you will learn about global challenges. In the modern, interconnected world, security and safety challenges are increasingly complex, impacting local, national, regional and international levels. You will also learn why many of these challenges can be labeled as 'wicked problems'; they are challenges which are difficult or impossible to solve because they have many different causes, are difficult to describe, and don’t have a single 'right' answer.
3 videos, 2 readings
- Video: Global Challenges
- Reading: Global Trends to 2030: Can the EU meet the challenges ahead?
- Discussion Prompt: Crowdsourcing Exercise
- Video: Wicked Problems
- Reading: Rittel and Webber: Dilemmas in a General Theory of Planning
- Video: Crowdsourcing Exercise
Graded: Global Challenges and Wicked Problems
WEEK 2
Safety and Security
In this module, you will learn more about safety and security. Safety and security have now become buzz words for society, marking the top of the agendas of politicians, businesses and many other actors worldwide. But what do these concepts mean? In this module we address the difference between safety and security. In addition, you will learn about one of the most important approaches to dealing with issues of safety and security, namely risk management.
5 videos, 3 readings
- Video: What is Safety and Security?
- Reading: Van den Berg and Hutten: Security and Safety: An Introduction
- Video: What Are We Protecting?
- Video: Risk Management
- Reading: Renn: Concept of Risk: A Classification
- Video: Risk Management: Critiques and Alternatives
- Discussion Prompt: Assessing Risk Management
- Video: Recap and Outlook
- Reading: Documentary: Seconds From Disaster - Hurricane Katrina
Graded: Safety and Security
WEEK 3
Perspectives and Levels
In this module, you will learn more about the different actors and levels of governance involved in contemporary security and safety challenges. You will also learn a three-step approach which can be used to unravel modern-day safety and security challenges in an academic way.
3 videos, 1 reading
- Video: A Multi-level Perspective on Security and Safety
- Video: A Multi-actor Perspective on Security and Safety
- Reading: Dewulf: An introduction to multi-actor processes
- Discussion Prompt: Multi-actor in Security and Safety?
- Video: The Three-step Approach: Explore, Understand, Do
Graded: Case Study: Hurricane Katrina
WEEK 4
Case Studies
In this module, we will take a closer look at three specific cases of security and safety. Using the three-step approach from the previous module, we will unravel these cases to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of modern-day safety and security challenges.
5 videos, 2 readings
- Reading: Required Documentaries
- Video: Safety case: Kursk Submarine Disaster (I)
- Video: Safety case: Kursk Submarine Disaster (II)
- Reading: Turner: The Organizational and Interorganizational Development of Disasters
- Video: Security Case: Boston Marathon Bombing
- Video: Security And Safety Case: Bhopal Disaster (I)
- Video: Security and Safety Case: Bhopal Disaster (II)
- Discussion Prompt: Failure of Foresight
Graded: Test Your Knowledge
WEEK 5
Security and Safety in Practice
In this module, we will continue to take a closer look at real-life cases of security and safety. Through interviews with three experts, we will look at the different actors and perspectives that are involved in the management of a specific type of security incident, namely a breach of cyber security.
3 videos, 1 reading
- Reading: Important: Read First
- Video: Expert Interview: Chief Information Security Officer
- Video: Expert Interview: Director Corporate Communication
- Video: Expert Interview: Managing Director
Graded: Expert Interviews: Perspectives and Dilemmas
WEEK 6
Case Study: Explore, Understand, Do.
In this final module, you will be asked to apply all the knowledge from the previous modules towards unraveling a real-life safety and security case. Using the three-step approach of Explore, Understand and Do from previous modules, you will analyze how this case unfolded, which actors and specific levels of governance were involved, and apply various academic perspectives.
2 videos
- Video: Case Study: Explore, Understand, Do
- Video: What Have We Learned?
Graded: Explore, Understand and Do: Security and Safety Case
FAQs
How It Works
Coursework
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Creators
Universiteit Leiden
Leiden University is one of Europe's foremost research universities. This prominent position gives our graduates a leading edge in applying for academic posts and for functions outside academia.
Leiden University is the oldest university in the Netherlands. It was founded in February 1575, as a gift from William of Orange to the citizens of Leiden after they had withstood a long siege by the Spanish. Our motto is: Praesidium Libertatis — Bastion of Liberty.
Ratings and Reviews
fun, interesting, and enjoyable course. Thanks so much!
Outstanding course, outstanding experience!
Great course, interesting cases and insights. It has truly broadened my horizon (my daily work is data privacy & security). Highly recommended!
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BM
a very informative course, but it will review the rating system by peers