The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of Academic Engagement (OAE) supports the DHS mission by building, improving and leveraging relationships with the academic community.
 
Through this ongoing series, read how OAE actively engages with the academic community in the United States and leads initiatives related to international students, among other key focus areas. 

In October, DHS will conduct the second in a series of campus-based National Seminars and Tabletop Exercises (NTTX) for Institutions of Higher Education to promote campus preparedness and resilience. A tabletop exercise is a facilitated meeting where participants talk through a simulated emergency situation.The goal is to test emergency plans and resilience capabilities in a low-stress environment. 

DHS understands that colleges and universities may face emergency situations ranging from natural disasters to cyber attacks, which is why the Homeland Security Academic Advisory Council (HSAAC) maintains a subcommittee dedicated to campus resilience.

As a result of the subcommittee’s work and HSAAC recommendations to DHS, the Department collaborated with other government agencies and university partners to develop the NTTX for Institutions of Higher Education. 

This year, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), DHS’s Science and Technology Directorate and OAE will work in coordination with the FBI for the second NTTX at Indiana University.

This year’s event focuses on the cyber threat landscape across the U.S. higher education community, featuring a cyber-focused exercise scenario. The event builds upon the first NTTX, which covered topics including disease outbreak, international student concerns, and federal laws relevant to student health and privacy in an emergency. To learn more about NTTX, read last year’s Situation Manual.

If you are a school official and want to get your campus involved in the preparedness movement, visit FEMA’s website for free resources that will help your school prepare and maintain resilience in an emergency situation. 

Sign up to receive monthly updates about DHS’s engagement with the academic community by visiting OAE’s website.