LIAT: Strengthening Learning Communities for Safety

To remain a safe country, we must proactively address the growing number of (cyber)security threats. Effective inter-organisational collaborations – often called learning communities (LCs) – between public, private, and knowledge organisations are needed to translate the latest scientific insights, key technologies and applications, and socio-technical design knowledge into innovative safety practices to anticipate potential threats.

Background

Most LCs are primarily reactive and “stuck” in merely exchanging knowledge and developing technological innovations to address security threats. These communities are less focused on stimulating the actual implementation of preventive innovative safety practices in organisations and on supporting security professionals to adapt their daily work accordingly. Currently, there is a lack of insight into how these LCs can be supported with actionable knowledge, tools, and guidance in adopting and implementing innovative socio-technical enhanced safety practices.

Aim and Target Group

LIAT aims to connect major Dutch security hubs, national security partners, and research groups in (cyber)security, safety technology, and human capital. The project effectively supports learning communities, companies, and security professionals in identifying, designing, and proactively implementing innovative safety practices in cybersecurity and public safety.

Method

The research methods in Work Package 1 include a mapping of existing learning communities and a realist evaluation to determine successful context-mechanism-outcome configurations. The second Work Package uses video and physiological measurements to better understand innovation practices within learning communities. Work Package 3 primarily uses qualitative methods to better understand how socio-technical safety practices are adopted within organisations and which factors influence success and adoption.

(Expected) Results

The project provides a multi-layered infrastructure to support the LCs, consisting of:

• Design guidelines for (re)designing LCs to stimulate the proactive development and implementation of innovative safety practices;
• Strategies and methods that drive, facilitate, and support effective innovation processes within LCs to address safety challenges;
• A facilitator support platform supporting LCs in the (re)design and implementation of innovative safety practices within their partner organisations.

Impact

This research project aims to create a shift towards a proactive, safe, and resilient society. This shift is crucial for preventing organised crime and protecting critical infrastructures, digital security, and public safety. Only by increasing the number of qualified and resilient security professionals who proactively contribute to (cyber)safety, and organisations that recognise threats and respond proactively, can potential threats be effectively addressed.

More Information

• Ahead of the Threat
• LIAT on LinkedIn

Start and End Date

3 juli 2024 – 30 december 2028

Funding

The total project value is €1.1 million, co-financed by NWO as part of the Knowledge and Innovation Covenant (KIC) 2020–2023 on the theme of Human Capital.
More information about the project at NWO

Collaboration

• Saxion University of Applied Sciences
• University of Twente
• Centre for Safety & Digitalisation (CVD)
• Security Delta Campus (HSD)
• Impact Coalition Safety & Security (ICSS)
• Municipality of The Hague
• Twente Safety Region
• Cybersecurity Living Lab

And other involved partners.

Team 

• Prof. Ellen Sjoer – Research Group Sustainable Talent Development, leader of Work Package 1
• Dr. Sylvia Bergh – Senior Researcher, member of the Research Group Sustainable Talent Development and the Centre of Expertise Global and Inclusive Learning, involved in Work Packages 1 & 3
• Dr. Elke Müller – Senior Researcher, member of the Research Group Sustainable Talent Development and the Centre of Expertise Global and Inclusive Learning, involved in Work Packages 1 & 3
• Prof. Peter Roelofsma – Lector Risk Management & Cyber Security, The Hague University of Applied Sciences, also contributes to the project

Contact 

Prof. Ellen Sjoer [email protected]
Dr. Sylvia Bergh [email protected]