GDRC in Indonesia – key notes and round tables
Tue, 17 Nov 2015 13:31:00 GMT
GDRC recently took part at the 3rd PlanoCosmo and 10th SSMS International Conference, held from 26 – 27 October 2015, held at the Institute Technology of Bandung, Bandung, Indonesia. This international conference was jointly organised by Department of Urban and Regional Planning of Institute Technology of Bandung and the Society of Social Management System. These of the conference was ‘Resilient City, Resilient Region’ and the goal of this conference is to create better understanding and synergy between proponents of regional and city planning and management of social systems.
Key conference themes included: Innovative Disaster Mitigation and Management, Environmental Planning and Management, Infrastructure Planning and Management, Food, Water and Energy Security, Regional/City Planning and Management, Methods and Tools in Resilient City and Region, and Institution and Finance.
Key note lecture at the conference
GDRC's Professor Dilanthi Amaratunga delivered a key note lecture at the event and her speech was entitled: “Research and innovation to address societal challenges: Priorities for EU-South Asia cooperation in Horizon 2020”.
Photo above: Professor Dilanthi Amaratunga delivering the key note lecture
Her talk was based on a position paper developed through the CASCADE project (Collaborative Action towards Societal Challenges through Awareness, Development, and Education) led by her with 17 other international partners, which summarises the South Asian region’s status and interests concerning the seven thematic societal challenges identified under the EU’s Horizon 2020 research programme: Health, demographic change and wellbeing; Food security, sustainable agricultures, marine and maritime research and the bio‐based economy; Clean and efficient energy; Smart, green and integrated transport; Climate action, resource efficiency and raw materials; A changing world ‐ inclusive, innovative and reflective societies; and, Secure societies ‐ protecting freedom and security of the country and its citizens. This talk considered the position of seven countries in South Asia: Afghanistan; Bangladesh; Bhutan; Maldives; Nepal; Pakistan; and, Sri Lanka. It also identifies national and regional priorities for the seven themes in the EU’s Horizon 2020.
Roundtable Discussion on Innovative Disaster Mitigation and Management
GDRC’s Professor Richard Haigh was a panel member of the Invited Speakers Roundtable Discussion on Innovative Disaster Mitigation and Management
Photo above: Roundtable panel on Innovative Disaster Mitigation and Management
Photo above: Professor Richard Haigh speaking as part of the panel
This roundtable discussion will feed into a major global study, that is exploring the role of Higher Education in supporting implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, which was adopted by 187 UN member states in March 2015. The Sendai Framework has an enhanced role for science and knowledge, including explicit mention of coproduction. Science is called to action repeatedly in the text - be it in disaster risk reduction education and training, post-disaster reviews, research into disaster scenarios or early warning systems. Modelling and early warning are especially emphasised, but there is also recognition of wider social processes, including culture, as well as renewed emphasis on training and within this on integrated approaches.
