Security and safety education in the Czech Republic and eSEC-Portal user requirements

Abstract

Education in the field of security and safety is at different level in each country and it is divided into many distinct areas. Teaching of the certain fields of security is strategic due to countries' geographical location, local business or cultural and social aspects. The European Union countries are currently missing some kind of online public database, which would cover the security and safety field and bring together students, researchers and experts interested in the subject. The main aim of the preparation of portal "eSEC - Competency Based e-portal of Security and Safety Engineering" (eSEC-portal), is to establish a web system, which would serve as a new tool in the process of learning, for both students and professionals, in fields of security studies, safety studies and crisis management. One of the challenges, while establishing the web portal, was to analyse the conditions of teaching security and safety in the selected EU countries. That is why the first part of this paper focuses on current educational situation in the Czech Republic representing an EU member, however, it is above all intended for international audience such as students and teachers outside the Czech Republic. The second part introduces a qualitative SWOT analysis of education in security and safety and connection with services, which will be offered by the prepared eSEC-portal. The third part predicts and quantitatively analyses the profiles of potential future eSEC-portal users together with their possible requirements. Users are split into several groups such as students, pedagogues, scientists and experts. The analysis discusses the user requirements for content, interactivity, user-friendly extremity and graphical surroundings of eSEC-portal's modules, all in the connection to their already existing ICT skills. Input data have been collected through on-line questionnaires and the sample has been represented by 144 respondents. The results of this user requirements analysis, enriched with similar data gathered in another five EU countries have been fundamental for functional design and final content of the eSEC-portal. The certain limitation of the study lies in the research sample, which consists mainly of respondents who are familiar with the Information security area. Conclusion discusses the other challenge for eSEC-portal developers and maintainers which is in keeping the portal alive.