Speaker
Description
Terrorism remains one of the most serious problems in the global security landscape. From 2007 to 2024, a total of 137, 009 terrorism-related deaths have been recorded. In countries that have records of terrorist attacks, educational institutions have been among the targets of terrorist organizations. For a country like Ghana that has not experienced a terrorist attack, it is not clear if the potential threat of terrorism presents a significant perceived risk and fear among its citizens including university students and if they have made some individual preparedness towards a potential terrorist attack. The main objective of the study therefore seeks to investigate university students' perceived risk, fear of terrorism and their preparedness behaviours. This study employs a quantitative approach by utilising a cross-sectional research design. Based on multi-stage sampling, this study draws on a sample of 382 undergraduate and postgraduate students using self-administered questionnaires. The collected data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistical methods such as chi-square test and binary logistic regression. The study found that university students had a low perceived likelihood of a possible terrorist attack on campus, but believed any attack on campus would be very severe. The study also revealed a moderate level of fear among the students, yet they had not shown interest in preparing for threats of terrorism. The findings of the study indicate that individual terrorism preparedness may not be critical in a country like Ghana, that has not experienced terrorism. The significance of the study lies in its potential to contribute to literature on university students’ perception of terrorism. The study will also assist in the development of evidence-based strategies, aimed at enhancing campus security and emergency preparedness on university campuses.