2020 Online Summer Programme: Preventing, Detecting and Responding to Violent Terrorism

This online summer programme focused on the field of preventing, detecting and responding to violent extremism and gives insight in the opportunities and challenges of various approaches. 

Dilemmas and trends in the field of violent extremism, various views on radicalisation, the opportunities and challenges of various approaches, and roles and perspectives of stakeholders active in the field are covered in this programme. Through lectures and Q&A’s the participants will exchange ideas and experiences with researchers and other participants.

Preventing, detecting and responding to violent extremism are ‘wicked problems’ – a dynamic tangle of complex issues, a wide range of stakeholders and no clean-cut, obvious solutions. Tackling this problem requires a networked, multidisciplinary approach where all actors work together in a joint and coordinated effort. From security services, policy makers, practitioners and academics to youth workers, teachers, parents and other actors; all stakeholders have their own role to play. Each stakeholder, in turn, works from the premise of their own specific perspectives, authorities, interests and limitations. In order to ensure effective prevention measures, strengthen public resilience and increase on-time signaling and addressing of radicalisation, it is vital to understand the position and role of various partners and their approaches.

This advanced summer programme, organised by the Centre for Professional Learning of Leiden University and the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism – The Hague (ICCT), provides insight into the opportunities and challenges of various approaches to prevent, detect and respond to violent extremism. In an intensive five-day course, participants will meet academics, experts, policy makers and practitioners and discuss the latest research insights, trends and dilemmas in the field of preventing violent extremism and how these dilemmas influence the effectiveness of various approaches in practice. Furthermore, participants will explore the various roles and limitations of different stakeholders and how these relate to each other in their joint efforts to prevent violent extremism.

Speakers from last year included:

• Edwin Bakker, Professor of Terrorism and Counterterrorism, Leiden University; Head Knowledge and Research, Netherlands Police Academy
• Paul Gill, Senior Lecturer at University College London's Department of Security and Crime Science
• Shiraz Maher, Director of the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR); Lecturer, War Studies Department at King’s College London
• Liesbeth van der Heide, Senior Research Fellow, International Centre for Counter-Terrorism – The Hague (ICCT)
• Donald Holbrook, Lecturer, Lancaster University
• Simon Minks, Senior Public Prosecutor of the region covered by the Hague Court of Appeal. Minks is specialised in the prosecution of terrorism cases and high profile international (war) crimes
• Bart Schuurman, Research Coordinator,  International Centre for Counter-Terrorism – The Hague (ICCT); Assistant Professor, Institute of Security and Global Affairs, Leiden University
• Tahir Abbas, Assistant Professor, Institute of Security and Global Affairs, Leiden University; Visiting Senior Fellow, Department of Government at The London School of Economics and Political Science
• Matthew Feldman, Centre for Analysis of Radical Right
• Constant Hijzen, Institute of Security and Global Affairs
• Thomas Renard, Senior Research Fellow, The Egmont Institute

Target Audience This advanced summer programme on Preventing, Detecting and Responding to Violent Extremim is meant for international as well as Dutch professionals that already work in the field of preventing violent extremism. For example:

• Practitioners in the field of preventing radicalisation and violent extremism;
• Policy makers (international, national and regional);
• Diplomats;
• Journalists;
• (Academic) researchers;
• Professionals aiming to expand their understanding of the challenges of preventing violent extremism.

Objectives After completion of the summer programme, participants will have:

• Insights in the latest dilemmas and trends in the field of radicalization and preventing violent extremism;
• Insights in the opportunities and challenges of various approaches and the (im)possibilities of multidisciplinary cooperation and information sharing;
• Proper understanding of the various organisations and stakeholders active in the field of preventing radicalisation and violent extremism and their various roles, perspectives, interests and limitations;
• Reflected on one’s own role and position in the field of preventing radicalisation and violent extremism;
• Expanded one’s network of international experts in the field of preventing violent extremism.

Fee Overview The registration fee is €495,-