Strengthening professional preparedness through interdisciplinary CBRN education at the University of Alcalá, Spain

Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats are increasingly relevant in contexts shaped by industrial activity, environmental emergencies, accidental releases, and intentional incidents. These challenges require interdisciplinary training that prepares future professionals to recognise hazards, understand response principles, and work across health, environmental, and forensic settings. To address this need, the University of Alcalá launched in 2025 a summer course entitled Responder y prevenir ataques con agentes químicos, biológicos, radiológicos y nucleares (NRBQ).

A descriptive educational innovation study was conducted to characterise the implementation and participant appraisal of the course. The programme was delivered through lectures, case-based learning, and applied sessions focused on major CBRN scenarios and response principles. Evaluation was based on data routinely generated during the course, including enrolment and attendance records and an anonymous end-of-course satisfaction questionnaire completed by participants. The questionnaire explored perceptions of course organisation, content relevance, teaching methodology, interdisciplinary value, and overall usefulness using structured rating items, together with open-ended comments. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively, and qualitative comments were reviewed to identify recurrent themes related to strengths, limitations, and suggestions for improvement.

The course attracted participants from diverse academic backgrounds linked to health and environmental sciences, supporting an interdisciplinary learning environment. Overall participant appraisal was favourable, with students highlighting the relevance of the topic, the novelty of CBRN content within their previous training, and the value of combining conceptual foundations with applied examples. Participants particularly appreciated the practical orientation of the course and its usefulness for understanding real-world emergency contexts. Suggestions for improvement mainly focused on increasing hands-on activities and expanding the duration of some sessions.

This summer course represents a feasible and well-received initiative for introducing CBRN preparedness into higher education. The findings support the value of short, interdisciplinary training formats and provide a basis for future editions incorporating stronger learning-outcome assessment strategies.