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Disaster Management and Coordination

Disaster situations are complex and the management and coordination of response activities are rarely unproblematic. To meet this challenge the University of Copenhagen is offering an intensive course dealing with disaster management and coordination.

The course will provide students with a theoretical understanding of the need for management and coordination in complex and unpredictable disaster situations as well as the theoretical models and practical tools for effective management. In addtion, students will be introduced to the international coordination environment, with its various actors and challenges.

On completion of the course, students will be able to critically analyse management and coordination in disaster situations. This includes both theoretical understanding and applying practical models for responding to disaster situations as well as critically analysing challenges for effective disaster management.

Application deadline is 3 November 2013 - Apply online now

Institution:

This course is offered by Copenhagen School of Global Health, University of Copenhagen as part of the joint programme Master of Disaster Management.

The course takes place in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Course coordinator:

Tania Dræbel

Type:

This is a mandatory advanced course in the Master of Disaster Management programme.

Duration:

3 - 28 February 2013.
Full time lectures and exercises, including a few days of individual or group study.

ECTS credits:

5 ECTS

Language:

English

Objectives:

On completion of the course, students will be able to:

• analyze and discuss theoretical and practical aspects of disaster management with a view to DDR, response and recovery

• apply appropriate practical leadership and management tools in disaster response

• plan and evaluate complex disaster response operations

Content:

Disaster response managers need to continuously analyse and adapt to ever changing situations in environments where people are in distress, there is a constant lack of time and information and where available resources are related to different formal organizations. Harnessing such complexity is one of the cornerstones of a successful disaster operation.

Traditionally, disaster response management has to large extent been influenced by a traditional  command and control perspective which has emphasized the role of a central authority and clear command structures. However, in recent years alternative perspectives on management in complex situations have emerged. Such perspectives acknowledge the importance  of informal networks, trust and argues that in fact disaster operations seldom work according to defined roles and responsibilities or standard operating procedures.

Disaster Management and Coordination explores the multi-organizational management context from both an academic/theoretical and a practical perspective.  Moreover, the course deals with important aspects of decision-making, group dynamics and leadership.  The course aims to improve the students' ability to analyze different aspects of disaster response management and how to cope with several of the challenges associated with response operations. Disaster Management and Coordination is based on three interrelated themes: 

• The disaster response system: During the course theoretical and practical approaches to the complexity in disaster response operations will be discussed. Among other things ideas based on complex adaptive systems will be introduced. Practical experiences from the international field will be provided. Other topics included in this theme are the important issues of trust media and security management.

• Decision making: This theme focuses on cognitive aspects of disaster response management. How can we understand decision-making processes? What is situational awareness? Is a common operational picture necessary?

• Leadership: The importance of the leader in disaster response is broadly recognised, but what is leadership and what is special about being a leader in a disaster situation? Which are the different approaches that a leader may apply in order to ensure the successful outcome of an operation?

Methods:

The course is based on interdisciplinary teaching and problem-oriented learning and seeks to draw on students' own experience as a resource. Lectures, group work, case studies. Exercises and simulations are important components.

In addition, a personal diary is used as a pedagogical tool where students write down their personal reflections on what they have learned each day. At the end of the course the diaries will be used to sum up the topics covered during the course.

TropEd accreditation:

No

Assessment Procedures:

48-hour written assignment.
Grading according to the Danish 7-point grading scale - internal evaluation.

Prerequisites:

The applicants must live up to the Master of Disaster Management admission criteria.

Class size:

The number of participants is limited to 40. The course may be cancelled if there are less than 12 participants.

Fees:

Reduced fee: DKK 18,500
For students from EU/EEA, and students with a DIS, Fulbright or Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship.

Normal fee: DKK 25,000
For all other students.

For approximate exchange rates between DKK (Danish Krone) and other currencies please contact your bank or visit this website. All fees are subject to regulation.

Scholarships:

We do not offer any scholarships, nor can we assist in finding funding, but on our page about scholarships we have collected some information that might be useful.