Last week, the University of Bath was proud to host the annual European Expert Network on Terrorism Issues (EENeT) conference, led by Dr Patrick Bury, an expert in international security and counter-terrorism in the Department of Politics, Languages & International Studies (PoLIS).
Co-funded by the German Federal Police, the high-profile event brought together over 60 attendees from 20 European countries, including both practitioners and academics working at the forefront of counter-terrorism.
EENeT is an independent, non-partisan consortium dedicated to multidisciplinary and multi-agency research and analysis, essential for understanding the complex nature of terrorism. Its annual conference provides a platform for members to present ongoing studies, exchange expertise, and debate current challenges in the field.
The conference was formally opened by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise) Professor Sarah Hainsworth who highlighted the University's growing reputation in impactful terrorism and security research. This includes contributions from the Bath Institute for Digital Security and Behaviour, PoLIS, and the Department of Social & Policy Sciences.
A keynote address was delivered by Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command. Another featured speaker was Detective Superintendent Jane Corrigan, the Met’s London [Prevent)](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prevent-duty-guidance Co-ordinator, who provided insight into the UK’s Prevent programme, aimed at stopping individuals from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.
The conference also showcased the University of Bath's internal expertise, including:
Dr Mauro Lubrano (PoLIS), whose research focuses on terrorism and political violence.
Professor Laura G. E. Smith (Psychology), a social psychologist specialising in group polarisation and radicalisation, co-Director of the Bath Institute for Digital Security and Behaviour. The purpose of the group is to solve global security challenges through world-leading research.
Dr Mattia Cacciatori (PoLIS), whose work examines international law in conflict resolution and issues around prosecuting heads of state.
Dr Olivia Brown (School of Management), who studies the link between online group behaviour and offline extremism and terrorism.
Dr Bury, a UKRI Future Leaders Fellow, also shared insights from his four-year, £750,000 research project: Transforming Transatlantic Counter-Terrorism, 2001–25. This international initiative investigates shifts in counter-terrorism since 9/11, with a focus on how networks operate and how technologies such as AI and Big Data influence inter-agency collaboration.
Dr Bury said:
It was a privilege to host this year’s EENeT conference at the University of Bath and to contribute to the centre of ongoing European discussions on counter-terrorism. The opportunity to bring together leading experts from across the continent to exchange ideas and advance our understanding of such a complex and pressing issue was both timely and impactful.” This year’s conference strongly reaffirmed EENeT’s mission to foster meaningful dialogue between researchers and practitioners - essential for tackling the evolving threats of terrorism in Europe and beyond.