On January 23, Ghayda Hassan and Vivek Venkatesh (UNESCO co-chairs on the Prevention of Radicalization and Violent Extremism) and Cécile Rousseau, Director of RAPS (Recherche et Action sur les Polarisations Sociales) joined other panelists at a special round table discussion convened by Québec’s Ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur.
The panel, Gestion de crise dans les établissements d’enseignement supérieur en context de conflit à l’étranger [Crisis management in higher education institutions in the context of conflict abroad], also featured Anabelle Vanier-Clement (coordinator of RAPS) and Habib El-Hage (Director, l’Institut de recherche sur l’immigration et sur les pratiques interculturelles et inclusives [IRIPII]).
The panelists were tasked with addressing the following questions:
1. From your perspective, what is the current state of affairs on college and university campuses? (Continuum of past, current and future conflicts, current particularities).
2. What are the possible reactions to these situations? (From the student community and staff, and tensions at other levels).
3. What are best practices in crisis management for establishments in the context of conflicts abroad?
4. How can we promote safety and a sense of security for everyone?