Strengthening Frontline Capacity to Address Radicalisation Risks: The IN2PREV Project’s 2nd Capacity Building Training Seminar       

In a context of growing concern around the vulnerability of refugee and asylum-seeking populations to marginalisation and exploitation, the need for informed, ethical, and collaborative approaches to prevention is more pressing than ever. 

From 25 to 27 March 2025, 45 professionals from law enforcement and community organisations across seven European countries convened in Bratislava, Slovakia, for an intensive three-day seminar focused on early identification of radicalisation risks and the practical application of structured assessment tools.

Hosted at the Police Academy in Bratislava and organised by the IN2PREV partner APZ SK, the training built upon previous e-learning modules and served as a key opportunity to equip practitioners with the knowledge and practical skills needed to use the Frontline Extremism Vulnerability Risk - Structured Evaluation Screening (FEVR-SES) tool- a radicalisation risk assessment tool developed as part of the IN2PREV project. 

Participants explored the legal, ethical and operational challenges of applying such tools to refugee and asylum-seeking populations, with a strong emphasis on balancing security concerns with the protection of fundamental rights.

Discussions throughout the seminar addressed both conceptual and real-world issues. Sessions examined the local dynamics of politically motivated extremism, challenges in ensuring non-securitised responses, and the interplay between gender, migration, and radicalisation. Participants collaborated in mixed working groups, using digital tools to engage with case-based scenarios, role plays, and interactive exercises that simulated the complexities of frontline work. A visit to the Academy’s training grounds offered further insight into the operational environments in which many practitioners operate.

Feedback from the seminar was overwhelmingly positive. Over two-thirds of participants rated the event at the highest satisfaction level, praising the relevance of the content, the expertise of speakers, and the interactive format. Many underlined the value of exchanging insights with peers from other countries, and nearly all reported having established new professional networks they deemed useful. 

This second capacity-building seminar marks a pivotal step in preparing professionals to implement the FEVR-SES tool effectively and ethically, while integrating a broader understanding of radicalisation prevention in settings related to asylum and international protection. By integrating expert knowledge with field-based learning, the seminar directly supports the project's aim to create sustainable, cross-sectoral cooperation at national level. It also reinforces a key project principle: that preventing radicalisation requires inclusive strategies rooted in both security and human rights.