Overview
Status
Start
End
Description
Civil protection systems in Europe are confronted with an increasing number and complexity of disasters and crises due to environmental degradation, global warming, demographic, and geopolitical changes. The availability of highly qualified human resources is critical for anticipating, preparing for, managing of and recovering from crises. Providing high-level training and education for disaster managers is therefore an essential prerequisite for effective disaster risk management. EUMA aims to reinforce and increase the capacity of individual staff members of civil protection authorities and disaster managers in the private sector. This will be achieved by establishing a network of universities and higher education institutes across Europe to develop and offer a tailor-made high-level postgraduate Master’s degree programmes on disaster risk and crisis management. EUMA will complement existing university courses and foster cooperation within the Union Civil Protection Knowledge Network through a number of practical activities such as topical workshops, summer schools and dedicated scientific publications focusing on the European / international dimension of disaster risk management. Furthermore, the consortium will establish a feasibility study to map and analyse the relevant national high-level educational programmes for professionals that universities in Europe are currently offering. It will identify good practices, gaps and opportunities to improve educational offerings. It will share knowledge and advance preparedness for disaster managers and experts at the European level. EUMA will lay the most needed foundations for the definition of reference standards and benchmarks on the subject of disaster management. These standards and benchmarks could become the backbone of common approach to the education standards for disaster management professionals. The ultimate long-term strategic goal is to put university education for disaster managers on a broader footing.