IRDR Advanced Institutes in Taipei

The 2015 Advanced Institute on Disaster Risk Reduction and Loss Mitigation, which was held in Taipei, Taiwan, provided 17 early to middle-career researchers and practitioners from Southeast Asia with hands-on learning related to strengthening their understanding, skills and practical knowledge disaster risk reduction and mitigation.

The intensive training was hosted by the International Center of Excellence for the Integrated Research on Disaster Reduction initiative (IRDR-ICoE) in Taipei, Taiwan, in partnership with START, the International Council for Science (ICSU), and IRDR. The Advanced Institute focused on integrative risk management; disaster typologies; approaches, tools and systems for risk and loss reduction; socio-economic aspects of disaster loss; recovery and reconstruction after disasters and policy and planning in disaster risk and loss reduction.

The training included lectures by scholars and practitioners in disaster risk reduction and management, hands-on interactive exercises, trainee panels, and field visits to the National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering (NCREE), the National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction (NCDR), and the 921 Earthquake Museum of Taiwan. At the conclusion of the Advanced Institute the participants presented individual and collaborative project proposals, which they conceptualized during the Advanced Institute. Three of these projects were awarded follow-on seed grants to initiate their projects in 2015–2016.

Joan Pauline Talubo from the Philippines, a Fellow in the 2015 Disaster Risk Reduction and Loss Mitigation Advanced Institute noted:

"The 2015 Advanced Institute for Disaster Risk and Loss Mitigation was an enriching learning experience for me. I had a deeper understanding of the subject and I was exposed to how it is done in other areas in Asia. The AI also served as a link to the network of practitioners working in this field. I saw the potential of the topics for research and development and how my own background and experience can further contribute to this field not only in my country but in the whole region as well."