Program Overview

Program Overview

The "Personal Risk Reduction In Insecure Contexts" course is designed to provide guidance, tools, and resources to organize travel in potentially insecure contexts. The aim is to raise awareness about personal safety and security and to promote safe behavior fitting with specific travel contexts.

Course Description

Every day, education, research, and academic cooperation move thousands of students, researchers, professors, and staff to various destinations and for a variety of purposes. Promoting students and staff safety during mobility programs is a priority for universities. Building institutional relations with reliable partners and designing institutional security plans is crucial but not exhaustive. Individual preparation is also essential.

The course goal is to raise awareness about personal safety and security and promote safe behaviors and personal strategies fitting with specific travel contexts. The academic travel is often used as an example, but this course potentially has a wide target involving a diversified range of people and kinds of journeys. Almost all the modules may be applicable to many types of travel, not only academic. Even though the focus is mainly on insecure contexts, the contents addressed by the course may be useful for all kinds of destinations.

Through the help of professors and experts from the International Relations office, participants will be guided to get a clear picture of their journey and prepare their mobility for the best. During the course, participants will have an overview of the arrangements to take care of during the organization of a trip and during the trip itself.

Prerequisites

No prerequisite knowledge is required.

Course Structure

The course is organized into different weeks and modules. At the end of each module, participants will find a quiz to check their understanding.

Certificate of Accomplishment

The Certificate of Accomplishment will be released to anyone who successfully completes the course by answering correctly to at least 60% of the questions by the end of the edition.

Course Faculty

The course faculty includes:

• Alessandra Scagliarini, Vice-Rector for International Relations at the University of Bologna
• Marco Balboni, Professor of European Union and International Law at the University of Bologna
• Alessandra Bonoli, Associate Professor in Raw Material Engineering and Resources and Recycling at the University of Bologna
• Rabih Chattat, Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Bologna
• Carmelo Danisi, Adjunct Professor of International Law at the University of Bologna
• Maria Pia Fantini, Full Professor in Public Health and Preventive Medicine at the University of Bologna
• Magda Ialonardi, Resident Doctor in Public Health and Preventive Medicine at the University of Bologna
• Livia Mercatelli, International Relations Officer at the University of Bologna
• Licia Proserpio, Research Fellow at the Department of History and Culture, University of Bologna
• Angelo Stefanini, Medical Doctor and Former Head of the World Health Organization
• Francesca Valente, International Relations Officer at the University of Bologna
• Paolo Zagaglia, Assistant Professor of Economic Policy at the University of Ravenna

Course Details

• Course Number: PRR101
• Start Date: September 15, 2025
• End Date: September 30, 2026
• Time Commitment: 2-3 hours/week
• Language: English

Additional Information

The course is designed to provide participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to reduce personal risk in insecure contexts. The course is open to anyone interested in learning about personal safety and security, and no prior knowledge is required. The course is taught in English, and participants will have access to a variety of resources and materials to support their learning.