The project geoDRR - Geomatics for Disaster Risk Reduction is funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Commission. It has a key objective to support Partner Country HEIs in building their capacity to develop and deliver high quality and specialisation academic programmes that can suitably prepare young scientists and professionals to provide applicable solutions to various societal problems, focusing on these resulting from climate change, mainly disaster risk vulnerability and susceptibility.
As already established, climate change impacts on both the frequency and intensity of weather-related disasters, while reduces resilience that can increase vulnerability in all kinds of natural hazards. Reducing disaster risk can, thus, contribute to climate change adaptation and mitigation, especially in countries of the South-east Asia which are already among the most vulnerable, globally, to climate change.
The Project foresees to address specific aspects related to the overall aim, via compartmentalizing the general pursuance into smaller, more achievable objectives:
The development of the MSc Curriculum during the geoDRR project will be preceded by a brief preparation phase, during which all Partner Country HEIs will work on the identification of:
On the one hand, Partner Country HEIs will develop the MSc Curriculum and Syllabus and conclude all the necessary actions for the establishment of the Laboratories in their premises, while on the other hand, Programme Country partners will develop and launch the Virtual “GIS for DRR” Learning Environment (VLE) and elaborate its content for staff and students. The Curriculum will comprise of twelve courses plus an MSc thesis, corresponding to 120 ECTS.
Later during the project, the capacity building activities for Partner Country HEIs’ academic, administrative, and technical staff will be realized. The activities will include:
The last part of the development phase comprises the accreditation, delivery and interim evaluation of the MSc in Partner Country HEIs.