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Crisis and contingency planning at the Department of Political Science

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Here you can find information about emergency procedures, crisis management, key contacts, support resources, and what to do if a serious incident affects a member of staff or a student.

In the event of immediate danger

  1. Call 112
  2. Call the university’s emergency number 20 700 (+46 46 22 20 700)
  3. Contact the Head of Department (+46 46 222 89 43)
  4. In the event of security-related incidents, follow the university’s instructions

How to act if something happens

  1. Alert in case of emergency or acute danger
  2. Inform the Head of Department immediately upon becoming aware of a serious incident
  3. The Head of Department determines whether the incident is serious enough for a local crisis management group to be activated
  4. Crisis management at the Faculty and Department level
  5. Ensure you can be contacted to receive information in a crisis
  6. Death or serious accident involving another staff member or student
  7. Crisis contacts

1. Responding to an emergency or immediate danger

  • Dial 112! Remember to dial "0" first if you're calling from a desk phone.
  • Also call the university’s emergency hotline on 20 700 (+46 46 22 20 700). The emergency hotline is available 24 hours a day. You should call the university’s emergency hotline in the event of feeling unsafe, a serious incident or if you require security guard assistance. You will find the number for the university’s emergency hotline on the back of your LU card. All staff members have the right and duty to contact the police and emergency services in the event of an accident.

2. Inform the Head of Department immediately upon becoming aware of a serious incident

  • If anyone at the department becomes aware of a serious incident, the Head of the Department must be informed immediately.
  • A serious incident is defined as a severe, usually sudden situation involving an imminent risk of harm (to people, property, or terms of ethics and trust), or a difficult situation that develops gradually. The incident requires immediate action to minimise the consequences.

3. The Head of Department determines whether the incident is serious enough for a local crisis management group to be activated

  • The Head of Department determines whether the incident is serious enough to warrant the activation of the local crisis management team or whether the cross-faculty crisis management team should be convened instead (for example, in the event of a larger or more serious crisis that cannot or should not be handled by the department).
  • In the case of less serious accidents or incidents, the department is expected to manage the situation within the framework of its normal working arrangements, for example, through efforts of line managers or peer support. Various support staff (for example, from the department, the Occupational Health Service or Student Health Services) may also be called upon to assist.

4. Crisis management at the Faculty and Department level

  • The cross-faculty crisis team is convened in the event of a major and serious crisis that cannot or should not be managed by the department. 
  • When the crisis organisation is activated, the Head of Department assumes the role of crisis manager.
  • The department’s crisis management team shall consist of a core team with the following roles: Head of Department (crisis manager and convener), Deputy Head of Department, Assistant Head of Department and/or Director of Studies, Communications Officer, HR representative, and the Coordinator. A minute-taker must always be present and may be appointed from within the crisis management team or be a separate individual.
  • At the Department of Political Science, the House Prefect acts as Coordinator and is responsible for ensuring that the crisis plan is followed, kept up to date and accessible, and that the contact details in the plan are current. Furthermore, it is the Coordinator’s role to assist the Head of Department with the practical and administrative management tasks during a crisis.
  • Depending on the nature of the crisis, additional roles may be called upon, such as the Health and Safety Representative, the Chief Student Welfare Representative and the Student Representative.

Crisis and disaster planning shall prioritise the following:

  • that a cohesive command structure and clear division of roles can be established rapidly;
  • that cooperation with other stakeholders takes place;
  • that effective media relations and the provision of information to the public, staff, students and relatives are ensured.

The objectives of the response are to:

  • gain an overview of the incident;
  • co-ordinate resources;
  • help to regain control of the situation;
  • minimise damage and consequences;
  • maintain confidence in the department.

5. Ensure you can be contacted to receive information in crises

All staff should register their work mobile number and/or their private mobile number in LUCAT so that they can receive information quickly in crisis situations. Your personal details will not be visible online when others search for your contact details.

Update your contact information in LUCAT

All staff and students are encouraged to enter their mobile number in Passport, so that the university can send you text messages in emergencies.

  1. Go to the account management portal Passport
  2. Log in as “User”
  3. Select “Verification of contact information”
  4. Follow the instructions

6. Death or serious accident involving another staff member or student

Gathering information

When a member of staff at the department receives information or hears a rumour about the death or a serious accident involving another staff member or student at the department, they must gather as much information as possible. To prevent rumours from spreading, accurate information must be disseminated quickly. The following questions may serve as a guide when gathering information:

  • Who is the person affected?
  • Where does the information come from?
  • Who provided the information?
  • What does the information concern?
  • How can we get in touch with the person who provided the information?
  • To whom and where can we turn to obtain further information?

Action plan in the event of a death or other serious accident involving a member of staff

Information:

  • When a member of staff receives information about a death or serious accident affecting the department’s staff, the Head of Department must be informed immediately.
  • The Head of Department shall immediately inform all staff at the Department, for example, via email.
  • The Head of Department, together with the coordinator and other support staff at the Department, shall identify networks in which the affected person was active and inform them.
  • The Head of Department, together with the coordinator, shall inform the Faculty Management and the Human Resources Department.

Responsibilities:

  • The coordinator arranges appropriate symbols of remembrance (for example, lighting candles in the staff room, reception or similar areas, and framing and displaying a photograph of the person) in the event of a death.
  • The coordinator ensures that the bereaved person’s telephone calls and emails are redirected to a suitable colleague and that Lucat is contacted in the event of a death.
  • The coordinator arranges for the workplace to send flowers to the bereaved or their relatives, as well as a wreath for the funeral.
  • In the event of a death, the Head of Department, together with the coordinator, organises a memorial service at the workplace and informs colleagues and relatives.
  • The Head of Department represents the department at the funeral and informs all staff of the time at which it is to take place. Any staff member wishing to attend may do so during working hours.

Crisis support and psychological first aid:

  • It is the responsibility of the Head of Department to ensure that crisis support and counselling are offered if needed or requested.

The Head of Department, together with the Coordinator, will assess whether there is a need for and/or a desire for crisis support and ensure that this is offered to those affected, either individually and/or in a group.

Expert support:

Resource and support personnel who can assist with crisis support are:

Department of Political Science:
  • Health and Safety Representative
  • Fire Safety Coordinator
Occupational Health Service:

Premises:

A suitable venue for gathering is the staff room/lunch room on the 4th floor.

Travel and field studies:

See special information under "Travel in the workplace" on the Staff Pages

Action plan in the event of a student’s death or other serious incident

If any of the department’s students are affected by a serious incident, accident or death, it is important that psychological support is available and that there is an organisation in place that functions effectively. To prevent the spread of rumours, accurate information must be disseminated quickly.

The circumstances for providing support in the event of a death or other serious incidents affecting students vary between the Department’s degree programmes and courses. On some programmes, students have close contact with one another, whilst students on other courses do not know one another as well. The need for information, support and crisis response may therefore differ, and measures need to be adapted to the situation at hand.

Key personnel:

  • For all courses and degree programmes, the Director of Undergraduate Studies, the Student Counsellors and the Course Coordinators are key personnel.
  • For courses and degree programmes in Peace and Conflict Studies and Intelligence Analysis, respectively, the Programme Directors are also key personnel.
  • For postgraduate education, the Director of Postgraduate Studies, the Deputy Head of Department and the supervisors are key personnel.

Information:

  • When a member of staff receives information about the death or a serious accident involving a student, the Head of Department and the coordinator must be informed immediately.
  • The Coordinator or the Head of Department informs the relevant key personnel and other staff.
  • In the event of a death, the Coordinator also informs the Students’ Union, LADOK and Student Health Services.

Responsibilities:

  • The Head of Department, the Coordinator and the Director of Studies shall determine, depending on the course the affected student is taking, the need for and extent of information, crisis support and assistance.
  • The Head of Department, the Coordinator and the Director of Studies shall determine which of the key contacts has the closest and most in-depth contact with the course group in which the deceased or affected student participated.
  • This key person is responsible for organising a meeting with the group and for providing information to the students concerned. Which students are considered to be affected is determined on a case-by-case basis and depends on how well the students know one another.
  • The information shall be communicated in a suitable venue, which shall also have a dignified setting, for example, with flowers and lit candles. The venue shall be non-denominational.
  • Where necessary, the information may also take the form of a ‘defusing’ conversation.
  • The key contact person must also assess whether individuals or groups require further support and crisis counselling and, where necessary, arrange for this.
  • The Head of Department, the Coordinator, the Director of Studies or the key contact person is responsible for maintaining contact with the bereaved family.
  • In the event of a death, the Coordinator shall arrange for a wreath or flowers to be sent to the funeral at the Department’s expense.

International students:

For international students, the same guidelines as above apply where relevant. In addition, the Department’s International Coordinator is responsible for contacting the student’s home university and, in consultation with it, taking further action if necessary.

Expert assistance:

Resource and support staff who can assist with crisis support are:

Department of Political Science

International Students:

For international students, the same guidelines as above apply where relevant. In addition, the Department’s International Coordinator is responsible for contacting the student’s home university and, in consultation with it, taking further action where necessary.

7: Crisis contacts at the Department

Kristina Jönsson
Head of Department – Crisis Manager  
Email: kristina [dot] jonsson [at] svet [dot] lu [dot] se (kristina[dot]jonsson[at]svet[dot]lu[dot]se)
Phone: +46 46 222 89 43

Rikard Bengtsson
Deputy Head of Department and Director of Studies
Email: rikard [dot] bengtsson [at] svet [dot] lu [dot] se (rikard[dot]bengtsson[at]svet[dot]lu[dot]se)
Phone: +46 46 222 89 30

Kristina Gröndahl Nilsson
Crisis Coordinator, House Prefect
Email: kristina [dot] grondahl_nilsson [at] svet [dot] lu [dot] se (kristina[dot]grondahl_nilsson[at]svet[dot]lu[dot]se)
Phone: +46 46 222 80 95

List of next of kin: 

Contact the House Prefect/Coordinator for access to information about relatives

Other important telephone numbers in alphabetical order

Important public information

Krisinformation.se    

DinSäkerhet.se

Exclamation mark in white on orange button for In case of emergency, illustration..

In case of emergency

On the Staff Pages, you can find information about how you can act in different situations, what help you can get, and where you can turn to report an incident.

Last updated: 14 Jul 2026 | webbredaktor [at] svet [dot] lu [dot] se