Evaluation Systems for Biological Security Risk Mitigation Training and Education

Abstract

Engagement, training and education have been promoted as ways to address and mitigate biological security risks. The rationale of such a promotion may be that attitudes and actions of more aware, competent and capable people will lead to lower biological security risks. However, evaluations of the impact of experiences of engagement, training and education have often been limited to ex-post observation rather than based on structured educational designs which link capacity building efforts with desired learning outcomes and focus on longer-term impacts on security risks. This paper proposes a methodology for evaluating the impact of education or training, particularly looking at security-related biorisks. The methodology seeks to evaluate the impact of education and training as a risk mitigation measure, linking (expected) outcomes in terms of learning to (expected) outcomes in terms of risk. The paper leverages models of Instructional Systems Design (ISD) and of levels of impact of learning as well as approaches of risk management, risk assessment and risk evaluation. The paper proposes evaluation strategies and tools for measuring the impact of training and education aimed at reducing biological security risks, including examples of designed indicators, metrics and data sources. Improved competencies identified in four thematic areas, built with education and training and transferred into behaviour, have the potential to reduce biological security risks in specific risk scenarios via impacting factors that primarily influence risk likelihood. This paper may be of value to those in the security community seeking to enhance work on metrics and measures, and provides a theoretical framework through which projects and programs might be better evaluated.