This chapter, “[CRA] Part 1-1: List of Threats,” establishes a structured and comprehensive inventory of threats that may disrupt SIT’s operations, impede access to its campuses, or impact its stakeholders.
In alignment with BCM Institute methodologies and ISO 22361 principles, the objective of this chapter is to ensure that all relevant crisis scenarios—both foreseeable and emerging—are systematically identified before proceeding to risk assessment and mitigation planning.
Given SIT’s role as a leading applied university in Singapore, its operating environment is influenced by a combination of national-level risks and institution-specific vulnerabilities.
These include natural hazards such as regional haze and extreme weather, man-made incidents such as fires or security threats, as well as operational disruptions arising from people, supply chain dependencies, and technology systems.
By categorising threats into key crisis types—Denial of Access, Unavailability of People, Supply Chain Disruption, and Equipment/IT-related disruptions—this chapter provides a structured lens for SIT to evaluate its risk exposure across all critical functions.
This comprehensive threat listing serves multiple purposes. It creates a common understanding among stakeholders, supports subsequent risk analysis and prioritisation, and ensures that no significant threat scenario is overlooked.
Ultimately, it lays the groundwork for informed decision-making and for developing targeted crisis response and resilience strategies tailored to SIT’s unique operational context.
Below is the structured table for [CRA] Part 1-1: List of Threats tailored to the context of Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), based on BCM Institute guidance on threat categorisation and examples.
Table Below: Notes for BCM Institute's Course Participants: This is the template for completing the "Part 1: CRA – List of Threats."
This is the completed template "[CRA] Part 1-1: List of Threats" for SIT
|
Crisis Type |
Type of Threats / Crisis Scenario |
Description of Threats |
Country Level (Singapore) |
Organisation Level (SIT) |
|
Denial of Access – Natural Disaster |
Flood / Flash Flood |
Heavy rainfall is causing flooding, preventing access to campus facilities and leading to transport disruptions |
Yes |
Yes |
|
|
Haze / Air Pollution |
Regional haze is affecting air quality, impacting staff and student attendance and campus operations |
Yes |
Yes |
|
|
Lightning / Thunderstorm |
Severe storms are causing temporary closure, safety risks, or power disruption |
Yes |
Yes |
|
|
Heatwave / Extreme Weather |
Excessive heat is affecting the infrastructure and the health of campus users |
Yes |
Yes |
|
|
Pandemic (e.g. COVID-19) |
Widespread health crisis leading to campus closure and shift to remote learning |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Denial of Access – Man-made Disaster |
Fire (Campus / Building Fire) |
Fire incidents cause evacuation, damage to buildings, and service interruption |
Yes |
Yes |
|
|
Bomb Threat / Terrorism |
Security threats requiring lockdown or evacuation of campus premises |
Yes |
Yes |
|
|
Civil Unrest / Public Disorder |
External disturbances affecting accessibility to campus areas |
Yes |
Possible |
|
|
Chemical Spill / Hazardous Incident |
Industrial or laboratory incidents affecting safety and access |
Yes |
Yes |
|
|
Utility Failure (Power Grid Failure) |
The national grid outage is preventing access to facilities or safe operations |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Unavailability of People |
Pandemic / Infectious Disease |
Staff or students unable to work due to illness or quarantine |
Yes |
Yes |
|
|
Key Staff Resignation / Attrition |
Loss of critical personnel affecting teaching or operations |
No |
Yes |
|
|
Strike / Industrial Action |
Workforce disruption affecting essential services |
Possible |
Possible |
|
|
Psychological Distress / Trauma |
Staff or students unable to function effectively due to the crisis impact |
Yes |
Yes |
|
|
Travel Restrictions |
Inability of international staff/students to return to campus |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Disruption to the Supply Chain |
IT Vendor Failure |
Failure of LMS, cloud, or IT vendors supporting digital learning platforms |
Yes |
Yes |
|
|
Utilities Disruption (Water, Electricity) |
Interruption of essential services impacting campus operations |
Yes |
Yes |
|
|
Third-party Service Failure (Security, Cleaning, Catering) |
Outsourced services unavailable, affecting campus functionality |
Yes |
Yes |
|
|
Transportation Disruption |
Public transport outages affecting staff and student mobility |
Yes |
Yes |
|
|
Equipment Supply Delay |
Delay in the delivery of lab or teaching equipment |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Equipment and IT-Related Disruption |
Cyberattack (Ransomware / Data Breach) |
Malicious attacks compromising systems, data, and operations |
Yes |
Yes |
|
|
Network / Internet Failure |
Loss of connectivity is affecting teaching, exams, and administration |
Yes |
Yes |
|
|
System Failure (LMS / ERP) |
Failure of core academic or administrative systems |
No |
Yes |
|
|
Data Centre Outage |
Loss of IT infrastructure affecting digital services |
Yes |
Yes |
|
|
Hardware Failure (Servers / Lab Equipment) |
Breakdown of critical equipment impacting teaching or research |
No |
Yes |
The development of a detailed and structured list of threats is a critical milestone in SIT’s crisis management journey.
By systematically identifying a wide spectrum of potential disruptions—ranging from natural disasters and security incidents to workforce shortages and technology failures—this chapter ensures the organisation adopts a proactive, comprehensive approach to risk awareness.
The inclusion of both country-level and organisation-level perspectives further strengthens the analysis's relevance, ensuring alignment with Singapore’s broader risk landscape while addressing SIT’s specific operational realities.
This threat inventory is not a static document but a dynamic reference that should evolve alongside changes in the external environment, technological advancements, and organisational priorities.
As SIT continues to expand its digital capabilities, partnerships, and campus infrastructure, new threat vectors will emerge, requiring continuous review and refinement of this list.
With this chapter complete, SIT is now well positioned to proceed to the next phase of the Crisis Risk Assessment (CRA), where these identified threats will be evaluated for likelihood and impact.
This transition from identification to assessment enables SIT to prioritise risks effectively, allocate resources strategically, and strengthen its overall resilience.
Ultimately, a well-defined list of threats ensures that SIT is not only prepared to respond to crises but is also equipped to anticipate and manage them with confidence and agility.
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