| Program
Based Courses
I. Training Resource Materials & Continuing Education (TRMCE/ AUDMP)
II. Capacity Building on Disaster Management : towards Localized Approaches
I. Training Resource Materials & Continuing Education (TRMCE/ AUDMP)
In addition to the Regional Training Courses, ADPC has been developing courses focusing on developing skills of professionals involved in urban disaster mitigation. The program addresses the needs of managers and administrators working in metropolitan, city and town administrations, concerned departments of provincial and national governments, and planners, academe and trainers, private sector including consultants, specialists in specific urban concerns (economists, architects, engineers, lifelines, health specialists, etc.), donors and NGOs with urban development agenda.
This activity is part of the Asian Urban Disaster Mitigation Program (AUDMP) of the ADPC. The AUDMP program is designed to respond to the need for safer cities. Ultimate goal of the program is to reduce the natural disaster vulnerability of the urban populations, infrastructure, lifeline facilities and shelter in targeted cities in Asia. The program contends that as population and economic activity have concentrated in rapidly growing cities, urban areas now represent a growing vulnerability to disasters in the Asian region. Where properly managed, however, cities also represent a critical opportunity to mitigate the damage from natural disasters.
Target countries for the TRMCE/ AUDMP include India, Indonesia, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Bangladesh. Objectives of TRMCE are as below.
Objectives
- Improve the capacity and performance of AUDMP target countries to reduce the impact of natural and technological disasters in urban areas.
- Develop, adapt, produce and disseminate mitigation training and technical reference materials, relevant to the Asian context.
- Institutionalize mitigation training in at least three national partner-training institutions.
- Expand the range of opportunities for Asian countries to pursue advanced academic and professional development for disaster mitigation education.
Overview of Project Elements
Though described as three separate activities - training, resource materials and continuing education, actions in this component are closely linked. Activities in this component also incorporate several new innovative program directions of ADPC related to: distance education, decentralization of its training, use of electronic media for training, the addition of mitigation as a training track, and self-financing courses. The component has three main activities.
TRAINING
Activities to be undertaken in the area of training include the following:
- Curriculum development
- Training course/module development and adaptation
- Training courses, regional, national and provincial levels
- Development of partnerships with national training institutions
- Adaptation and pilot of a training course using distance learning approach for training delivery
Course Development
Since mitigation is a new area for training in the region, the curriculum for training courses needs to be developed. Multiple technical and training experts preferably from the region are tasked to work collaboratively on developing course curriculum. Review groups, including ADPC staff and others preview course drafts and participate in pilot courses. This promotes accuracy in the training materials, and ownership for the training on the part of the region.
Curriculum for each course is comprised upon a TrainersŐ Manual, Participants Workbook and a set of visual materials to conduct the session. The courses combine both theory and practice, using a wide variety of educational methodologies, including lectures, exercises, case studies, simulations and electronic media.
The courses being developed under this program are given below.
- Course on Urban Disaster Mitigation (UDM)
- Course on Technological Risk Mitigation for Cities (TRMC)
- Course on Urban Flood Mitigation (UFM)
- Earthquake Vulnerability Reduction for Cities (EVRC)
- "GIS Remote Sensing and Technological Applications in Disaster Mitigation for Cities"
Course Implementation
These courses are initially piloted tested at the regional level. Ultimately, all the courses will be offered regionally on a continuous basis by ADPC under its regional courses. In the second step the courses are established at the national level in collaboration with the national partner training institutions (NPTIs).
Partnerships with National Training Institutions
Partnerships with national and regional training institutes are considered as a critical strategy for institutionalization and sustainability of the courses in the long-term. The Asian Disaster Mitigation Training Network (ADMIT)has been developed to establish such partnerships in the project countries. The staff of partner institutions is trained at the regional courses in Bangkok by ADPC. The trained staff of national partner training institutions than design and conduct courses at the national level. ADPC provides technical and monitoring support on as needed basis. Each partner makes its contribution, either in the form of technical expertise, or training program management capability.
The national level courses are conducted in target countries, after appropriate adaptation of the courses to the national and provincial contexts and to cater to the needs of particular groups. During the life span of AUDMP, ADPC will continue to be associated with the curriculum adaptation, improvement, quality assurance and certification. ADPC staff also participates as trainers in the level courses.
Expected Outputs
Regional
- Course curriculum and materials for each of the six identified courses developed, tested and available for adaptation and wider dissemination, in print and electronically.
- Four regional courses conducted benefiting at least urban disaster mitigation professionals
- Six mitigation courses integrated into ADPCs training curricula and offered on a self-financing basis.
- One AUDMP course adapted and piloted for delivery through distance learning mode.
National
- Partnerships are in place with at least 3 national training institutions.
- Eighteen trainers from partner training institutes trained under ADPCs TOT.
- MLTO networks established in the target countries, in support of mitigation training.
- Introduction to Disaster Mitigation Course and hazard specific mitigation courses integrated into the curricula of the three partner institutions.
- x national courses conducted, for up to y individuals from target countries.
TECHNICAL REFERENCE MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION
This element is comprised of two activities:
- Development & Production of Technical Reference Materials
- Production of a Comprehensive Reference Manual: Disaster Mitigation in Asia
Development of Technical Materials
In recognition of the fact that there is a paucity of technical material on mitigation developed for Asia, the TRMCE/AUDMP will produce such materials that will support the project and serve as reference materials for the region. Technical guidelines to address specific hazards will be produced.
These have been identified in conjunction with the themes and focus of the pilot projects, floods, earthquakes, technological hazards, volcanoes, and floods.
The approach is to initially develop technical materials for the training courses. The materials will be of a detailed and comprehensive nature. They are being written in a way that they can serve as, or easily are converted to, stand-alone guidelines. These materials from the five courses will also serve as chapters to be included in the manual.
Reference Manual: Disaster Mitigation in Asia
A comprehensive Practitioners' Manual designed for further reference and guidance. The manual will include detailed information on the types and severity of hazards in the region, making the case for a multi-hazard approach to disaster mitigation. Themes to be stressed in the manual will be: urban, mitigation, and implementation. Intended users for this handbook will be those working in the pilot projects who are also targets for the training. Lessons learned and case studies from the different pilot projects will be documented for inclusion in the manual.
A trainers guide will accompany the manual to promote its wider application and dissemination. While focused on Asia, the manual will be broadly applicable to other geographic regions as well.
Expected outputs for this activity include:
- Production of up-to-five technical reference materials on disaster mitigation;
- Dissemination of reference materials, initially to target countries, in print and electronically, depending on the focus of their project.
- Production of a Manual: Urban Disaster Mitigation in Asia.
- Production of a Trainers Guide for the Manual.
CONTINUING EDUCATION
This aspect of the overall component addresses an increasing trend within the region for advanced professional development and academic learning opportunities in the field of disaster management education. In this regard, two activities will be undertaken:
- Conversion of one TRMCE/AUDMP course for postgraduate credit through long distance education.
- Adaptation of AUDMP Courses for accreditation with the Swinburne University of Technology
In 1996, ADPC and the Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia signed an agreement to collaborate to develop a distanced education program that will offer international postgraduate courses in disaster management in a distance learning mode. The Program offers Post-Graduate Certificates and a Graduate Diploma in disaster management. This will greatly expand the opportunities available to the region for advanced education.
Academic credit in the Swinburne/ADPC program will be earned through long distance education. Core and elective courses will comprise the courses of study. ADPC and Swinburne are also looking to establish a credit transfer arrangement within the program that will allow for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). Through relationships with other established academic institutions, credits from other institutions, including courses offered by ADPC, will be eligible for transfer and credit in the ADPC/Swinburne Program.
During the life-span of AUDMP, one of the five courses produced for the program will be adapted so it is transferable as a core or elective course in either the Certificate or Diploma Program. The Course is likely to be one of the core courses: Urban Disaster Mitigation, though a final decision on this will be made at a later date.
Credit Transfer for AUDMP Courses
Additionally, as the AUDMP courses are developed, discussions will be held with Swinburne to determine how a credit transfer arrangement might be undertaken for the recognition of training provided under the AUDMP. It is anticipated that one or possibly two AUDMP courses could be adapted for these purposes.
Expected Outputs
- One AUDMP Course adapted as a core or elective course in the ADPC/University of Swinburne Distance Education Diploma Program.
- At least one AUDMP course adapted for credit transfer for the ADPC/Swinburne University Program.
The TRMCE and its mother program the AUDMP are funded by the Office for Foreign Disaster Assistance of the USAID.
II. Capacity Building on Disaster Management :
Towards Localized Approaches
The ADPC in collaboration with Duryog Nivran Network and its members is closely involved in building capability of the government and non-government sector in a development oriented disaster management. The philosophy of this program is that
it's the vulnerability of the large marginalised social groups in the sub-continent, which make them prone to various natural and human induced disasters. The vulnerability of these groups is linked to the overall governance in these societies and the prevalent socio-economic patterns. Thus unless you reduce
people's vulnerabilities through their enhancing their choices and participation in the broader socio-economic system, it is difficult to make them safer from disasters. The Duryog Nivaran partners are working to promote this approach for wider acceptance and adaptation.
While the other DNN partners are involved in research, and implementing of demonstration projects in the field the ADPC is mostly focusing on the training aspects. Under a three years program, the ADPC is working for institutionalizing the Course on Community Based Disaster Management (CBDM) in India and Sri Lanka. This training is intended to enhance the theoretical knowledge and practical skills of the staff of local government, municipal corporations, urban development authorities, NGOs and INGOs who has or want to adapt collaborative disaster management approaches.
Program objectives
- To enhance the access of national, provincial, local government departments and agencies, NGOs, country level INGOs, and the private sector to CBDM training;
- To lesson the training costs for national agencies;
- To promote multi-plier effects through increased access
The program includes following activities.
- Developing a curriculum for adaptation at the regional and national level
- Training the staff (12 people from both countries) of selected national partner training organizations in CBDM courses at Bangkok
- Handing over the course curriculum to national partner training institutions
- Conducting two national level CBDM courses in each country
- Developing a plan for continuity of the course at national level
The curriculum for the CBDM course has been already developed through a four years process of trial and err, and through consultation and participation of a number of international experts on the theme. The new curriculum introduces very comprehensively the current approaches in the theory and practice of community based disaster management.
The course is being institutionalized in India and Sri Lanka with the collaboration of national partner training institutions. The Disaster Mitigation Institute (DMI) India and the Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG) and the Center for Housing Planning and Building (CHPB), Sri Lanka are the focal agencies at the country level in this activity. However, a number of other national organizations are also participating in institutionalizing the CBDM course in two countries. The staff of selected national partner training organizations will be trained in the CBDM courses at Bangkok. The national partner training organizations will conduct two CBDM courses in the country. The trained staff of partner organizations will act as trainers along with ADPC staff in the first national course. However, by the time of second national course the ADPC will phase out and the national partner organizations will be completely responsible for organizing and conducting the course. The national partner organizations are developing continuity plans to sustain the course on long term basis.
The activity is funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) of the UK, under the project on " Livelihood Options for disaster Risk Reduction in South Asia".
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