Natural Disaster Management 1

The course has a focus on the risks occasioned by extreme conditions of air, land and water. The Pressure and Release (PAR) model is used to describe vulnerability and exposure to natural hazards in an international perspective. The link between risk, hazard and risk reduction efforts are studied from different perspectives, from underlying factors caused by political systems and economic prosperity to unstable situations at the local level. Students carry out a detailed risk study of a natural disaster (rather unnatural in this respect), comprising a) societal preparedness for and preventive efforts before, during and after a disastrous event, b) prognosis and early warning systems, c) direct and indirect effects, and d) the link to extreme climate variables or geological factors. The course is in the form of distance education with web-based platform and two campus meetings. Students must have access to an internet-connected computer with the performance requirements specified by the university IT support to students. The course involves problem-based and flexible learning approaches. The first on-campus meeting includes discussion exercises aiming to identify students' pre-understanding.