Multi-Hazards

The 2013 summer school was organised on July 23-25, 2013 at Tohoku University as the first major activity under the Multi-Hazards Program. The summer school was attended by 31 participants from 9 countries, and it consisted of 17 students, 13 faculty members and 1 APRU secretariat staff.

Multi-Hazards Program Report 2021/2022

For more information about the Multi-Hazards Program, please visit https://apru.org/our-work/pacific-rim-challenges/multi-hazards/.

2019 Report of the APRU-IRIDeS Multi-Hazards Program Summer School

The 7th APRU-IRIDeS Multi-Hazards Summer School was held on 22-25 July at Tohoku University. More than 60 students and researchers from 11 countries and region (China, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, U.S.A and Japan) participated in the event. They learned the experience from the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, the recovery effort in the affected area and discuss the contribution of academia in the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR).

To find out more details about the summer school, please click here.

Multi-Hazards Program Report 2020

For more information about the Multi-Hazards Program, please visit https://apru.org/our-work/pacific-rim-challenges/multi-hazards/.

APRU Multi-Hazards Program Leaflet

Please visit the Multi-Hazards webpage for more information about the program.

Science and Technology in Disaster Risk Reduction in Asia in 2018

Science and Technology in Disaster Risk Reduction in Asia 1st Edition: Potentials and Challenges

This book collects cases and studies presented at the APRU multi-hazards research symposium at Kyoto University in 2016. Science and Technology in Disaster Risk Reduction in Asia: Potentials and Challenges provides both a local and global perspective on how to implement the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. Topics demonstrate the advancement of scientific research as it applies to early warning systems, including identifying risk and the strengthening of infrastructure for different types of hazards. Through different major disasters, it has become evident that there must be a balance between hard and soft technology and physical, process and social solutions. This book demonstrates how this has been successfully implemented in Asia, and how these applications can apply on a global basis.

Key Features

Covers new research on the role of science in Disaster Risk Reduction and lessons learned when research has been applied
Utilizes case studies to outline the broader lessons learned
Focuses on the Sendai Framework, which was adopted in the Third UN World Conference in 2015

Readership

Professionals in disaster risk reduction across governmental agencies, intergovernmental agencies, and NGOs; researchers in the field of environment and climate change studies.

About the Editor

Rajib Shaw

Rajib Shaw is Professor in the Graduate School of Media and Governance in Keio University, Japan. He has worked closely with the local communities, NGOs, governments and international organization, including United Nations, especially in Asian countries. His research interests are: community based disaster risk management, climate change adaptation, urban risk management, and disaster and environmental education. He is currently the member of UN ISDR Science Technology Advisory Group (STAG), and Co-chair of UN ISDR Science Technology Academia Stakeholder Group. Professor Shaw has extensive publications in different journals, books and edited volumes.

Affiliations and Expertise
Keio University, Fujisawa, Japan Expertise: disaster risk reduction

Koichi Shiwaku

Koichi Shiwaku is a Researcher in the Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies of Kyoto University, Japan. He has been working with central and local governments, NGOs, school teachers and students, and local communities in Japan and overseas countries. His recent works are enhancing school disaster resilience and capacity development of officers of board of education in the area affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. His research interests are disaster education, community based disaster risk management, governance for disaster education, school safety, and capacity development of local government.

Affiliations and Expertise
OYO International Corporation, Tokyo, Japan

Takako Izumi

Takako Izumi is an Associate Professor in the International Research Institute of Disaster Science (IRIDeS), Tohoku University in Japan. She also serves as Programme Coordinator of the Multi-Hazards Programme under the Association of Pacific Lim Universities (APRU) that consists of 45 universities and academic institutes in the Pacific Lim. Her research interests include international and regional framework of disaster risk reduction, disaster risk reduction at local level, and role of civil society in disaster management. Previously, she worked for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) for the disaster response coordination in Asia and for one of the international NGOs in Malaysia as General Manager to oversee the programs of disaster response and disaster risk reduction.

Affiliations and Expertise
International Research Institute of Disaster Science (IRIDeS), Tohoku University, Japan

Further details>>

Managing and responding to pandemics in higher educational institutions: initial learning from COVID-19

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand the key challenges, approaches and lessons of the higher educational institutions (HEIs) in the context of COVID-19.

Design/methodology/approach – A survey was conducted to understand the key challenges being faced by the HEIs around the world during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 150 responses were collected from 65 universities, located in 29 countries.

Findings – The results show that 47% of respondents with defined universities believe their institutions lacked a permanent or dedicated emergency management office, and 41% said their HEIs lacked a general business continuity plan for an emergency. In universities with BCPs, 33%of the plans do not cover biological hazards and pandemic risk management, and 60% of the plans did not include conducting any advanced simulation exercises. More than 70% the responded said their instruction, information sharing and decisionmaking process were timely and open. The major challenges identified were a lack of adequate preparedness for pandemic and of pandemic-specific advanced simulation exercises. The next major challenges were the change in the mode of teaching to online lectures and working from home. Based on these challenges, a set of short- and long-term recommendations were proposed.

Originality/value – This was the first survey in academic institutions in post COVID-19 context. The findings will be useful for preparing for biological and other related hazards.

Global Navigation Satellite System to Enhance Tsunami Early Warning Systems

Report of the APRU-IRIDeS Multi-Hazards Program Virtual Autumn School 2021

To know more about the Multi-Hazards Program Virtual Autumn School, visit here.

New Journal: Progress in Disaster Science

Progress in Disaster Science is an open-access Journal that aims to report on the substantial progress in disaster research field for the purpose of better integrating disaster research and policy.

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