Although, according to the secretary, there are no concrete indications that such scenarios will occur, the institutes should be prepared for all eventualities. The attacks on 11 September 2001 and the Iraq crisis are reasons to take a closer look at the security and crisis management of 'hogescholen' and universities, the cabinet member feels.
In their security measures and crisis plans institutes of higher education usually focus on ænormal risksÆ like fire, (petty) crime and matters concerning occupational health and safety, she concludes. æThe current circumstances bring with them risks of a completely different natureÆ, according to Van der Hoeven in her letter. That is why the institutes need to update their crisis management plans.
Because national government 'cannot and will not' take over the responsibility for the actual implementation of the institutes' crisis management, Van der Hoeven advises them to take this up with the local authorities, fire department and police. Moreover, Van der Hoeven asks that special attention is paid to 'specific threats at each institute'. Delft University, for example, has a small nuclear reactor for scientific research. According to a spokesperson in Delft 'the need to increase security of the reactor will be investigated in light of this letter'.
'We are, we feel, prepared for calamities as much as is possible. We were before the large fire in November and afterwards we have further strengthened the existing crisis process plan,'according to rector magnificus Frans van Vught. The plan did indeed prove its value, also in the opinion of the chief of the regional fire department. The national Crisis Investigative Team has praised the UT before, according to Van Vught. The universitiesÆ association VSNU expects little to no problems within the academic community.
