Why disaster resilient infrastructure education needs to be embedded in higher education curriculum
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It further creates Indian standards, trains field engineers, conducts sponsored research initiatives, and provides consulting services. Similarly, School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), New Delhi, and Lund University, Sweden, offer courses highlighting land use planning, risk assessment and policy analysis to create sustainable habitations. Enhancing such existing academic and training curricula, with respect to the evolving context of disaster and climate risks, will be a vital building block for securing infrastructure against disasters.
A strong foundation in [Disaster Resilient Infrastructure] DRI will help students understand how to design, develop, and maintain infrastructure that can withstand disasters and minimise losses. This will enhance their understanding of the links between infrastructure systems, disaster risks, and climate adaptation; and guide them to devise innovative and sustainable solutions. Higher education in DRI must not be limited to only architects and engineers but extend to planners, policymakers, social scientists, and other stakeholders involved in planning, design, execution, and maintenance of infrastructure assets.
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A common lexicon of disaster terminology, to promote inter-regional knowledge exchange, can add to the strength of the proposed worldwide network. There is also a pressing need to establish a worldwide network of academic institutions and sectoral experts to integrate systemic resilience of infrastructure as a mainstream academic offering.
Pooling complementary skills and knowledge from academic institutions across the globe and integrating DRI in education initiatives help create a group of competent professionals who can be deployed to develop innovative infrastructure solutions against the shared challenges of climate uncertainties and disasters. As we march into an uncertain future, the inclusion of disaster resilience through concerted efforts, investments, and focused educational resources can be one of the most potent strategies for a safer and more resilient world.
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