Disaster Risk Management online training seminar series 2026
- English
About
Our world is changing at an unprecedented pace, creating an increasingly uncertain future. Societies are facing a growing number of complex, interconnected and cascading challenges, including climate change, natural hazards, geopolitical conflicts, and a range of industrial, economic and environmental pressures. As these risks interact, they can push systems towards critical thresholds or tipping points, where relatively small changes may trigger rapid and potentially irreversible transformations. Such dynamics challenge traditional approaches to risk assessment and management, which often assume gradual and predictable change. By exploring alternative plausible futures and identifying potential tipping points, we can strengthen preparedness and develop more resilient and adaptive policies. Against this backdrop, this year's training focuses on the “integration of foresight into risk assessment”.
Disaster and Emergency Management course team at Coventry University will host a series of 10 online training seminars between September and November 2026, with the support from the Disaster Risk Management Knowledge Centre (DRMKC) and the Cooperation Network of Risk, Safety and Security studies (CONRIS).
The training seminars series is embedded as part of the undergraduate year 2 module ‘Risk and Preparedness’. We welcome students and staff from CONRIS partner universities to participate in the seminars. Professionals and officers involved in risk management, civil protection and humanitarian assistance are also welcome.
Participants will be given the opportunity to consider a variety of disaster risk management tools and foresight strategies, from the European perspectives to global context. The initiatives of solutions to risks of modern life can be seen as part of global citizenship development for students.
Detail programmes are listed in the table below. Participants will receive a certificate of attendance if they have joined at least 8 seminars.
Reference
- Risks on the Horizon: Insights from Horizon Scanning . https://policy-lab.ec.europa.eu/stories/risks-horizon-insights-resilient-future-2024-07-18_en
- Understanding Societal Resilience in Europe . JRC Publications - Understanding societal resilience in Europe .
- Earth system tipping points and their implications for European preparedness and governance. https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC141821
For any questions you could contact the [email protected]
Detailed programme
| Date | Time UK (Thursdays) | Themes | Speakers | Download | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24/09 | 12.00-13.00 | Overview of the Disaster Risk Management Knowledge Centre (DRMKC) Understand Societal Resilience in Europe | Christina Corbane, EC JRC REDECKER Christine and GALARIOTIS Ioannis, EC JRC | |
| 2 | 1/10 | 12.00-13.00 | Strategic foresight and emerging or future risks | Lydia CALDANA, EC JRC | |
| 3 | 8/10 | 12.00-13.00 | Exercising and foresight/horizon | Robert Grayston, Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service | |
| 4 | 15/10 | 12.00-13.00 | Long-Term Risk Thinking: Using Foresight for Climate Resilience | Sanja Kalambura, University of Applied Sciences Velika Gorica | |
| 5 | 22/10 | 12.00-13.00 | From reactive to proactive: Using foresight to build coastal tourism resilience | Ana Paula Oliveira, Instituto Superior de Educação e Ciências | |
| 6 | 29/10 | 12.00-13.00 | Early Warning Early Actions from Southeast Asia | Lalit Kumar Dashora, United Nations World Food Programme | |
| 7 | 5/11 | 12.00-13.00 | Challenging Supply Chain and Operational Practices in Ukraine | Svitlana Tanchyk, Independent Operations & AI Strategy Advisor | |
| 8 | 12/11 | 12.00-13.00 | Societal transformation: From risk management to collapse of societies | Juergen Weichselgartner, HAW, Hamburg | |
| 9 | 19/11 | 12.00-13.00 | Data policy for times of crisis facilitated by Open Science: Checklist Survey Results and Beyond | Burcak Basbug, Middle East Technical University CODATA IDPC | |
| 10 | 26/11 | 12.00-13.00 | Earth system tipping points and their implications for European preparedness and governance |