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.

On Feb. 28, 2017, DHS's OAE partnered with representatives from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) to host the SEVP Ask the Experts Webinar: Campus Emergency Planning and the International Student Community.

This public webinar explored resources available to designated school officials (DSOs) that can help them prepare and communicate with international students in case of an emergency.

One such resource covered was OAE’s Campus Resilience Program’s National Seminar and Tabletop Exercise (NTTX) series. This program serves as an opportunity for campuses to evaluate resiliency through workshops and challenging exercise scenarios. The 2016 NTTX discussed the importance of notifying international students in the event of an emergency and communicating after a critical incident involving an international student. During such incidents, DSOs must understand their campus’ responsibilities in coordinating with the U.S. Department of State.

The webinar also discussed Ready.gov, a FEMA initiative that provides useful tools and resources available to campuses to help them prepare for and test their emergency management plans.

By developing strong emergency management best practices, campuses can help strengthen their international student and academic communities.

Did you miss the SEVP Ask the Experts Webinar: Campus Emergency Planning and the International Student Community? You can watch the recording and find other webinar materials on the Study in the States Stakeholder Webinars page.

For more information about NTTX and other campus resilience resources, visit DHS’s website. OAE also is in the early planning stages of the 2017 NTTX event. To volunteer event topic ideas or to learn more, email AcademicEngagement@hq.dhs.gov.