When the disaster strikes

28 August 2008

Opening reception 1 September 10:00-12:00.

Master of Disaster Management, which is the name of the new educational programme, is both a national and international master programme that has been created in close cooperation between the University of Copenhagen and Lund University. Hence, it is these two universities that together are responsible for the teaching, which covers domains ranging from clean drinking water in disaster areas to civil-military cooperation and minimisation of the risk of future disasters, for example disasters related to climate changes.

- The background for this new educational programme is sinister and it is time to react act, says assistant professor Peter Kjær Mackie Jensen, who is one of the founders of this master programme.

- We have unfortunately way too many times been witnesses to inadequate and badly managed disaster work, like for example in relation to the Tsunami in 2004, when I was sent to Banda Ache. Not because we lack experts, when the disaster strikes, but because there is a lack of knowledge on how to work in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams in disaster situations. It is in these instances that the Master of Disaster Management will make a difference, affirms Peter Kjær Mackie Jensen.

The educational programme is the first of its kind in the world and the 20 students, who on Monday 1 September join the programme come from several different disaster prone areas of the world. There are for example two aid workers from Mozambique, a country that at regular intervals must react to disasters caused by droughts and floods. But also Danish and Swedish experts from the police, the fire-brigade, the Danish Emergency Management Agency, the Danish Defence Command and aid workers will the next years focus on the multidisciplinary and multicultural aspect of disaster management, which is the centre of the educational programme.

Opening reception

To celebrate the new educational programme the University of Copenhagen together with Lund University open the doors to an opening reception on Monday the 1st of September. Activities will take place both on Frue Plads and in the Ceremonial Hall of Copenhagen University. On Frue Plads Copenhagen’s fire-brigade and the Danish Emergency Management Agency will expose disaster management equipment. In the ceremonial Hall the Danish Red Cross, the Danish Demining Group (department of the Danish Refugee Council) and DanChurchAid and a list of speakers will put the focus on future challenges in disaster situations and disaster management and the relevance of the new education programme.

Speakers:

Keynote: Poul Nielson, former European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid & Danish Minister for Development Corporation

Speakers:

• Rector Ralf Hemmingsen, University of Copenhagen
• Vice-rector Per Warfvinge, Faculty of Engineering, Lund University
• Anne-Birgitte Albrechtsen, Head of Department for Humanitarian Assistance and NGO Cooperation (HUM) Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Susan Nissen, Head of Department for Total Defence, Danish Ministry of Defence
• Director-General Helena Lindberg, Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency

The reception will be hosted by Dean Ulla Wewer, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen.

Venue: Ceremonial Hall of University of Copenhagen, Frue Plads

Time: Monday 1 September, 10:00 to 12:00