The PERIPERI U consortium has had a busy start to 2021 with a month-long online course as well as the launch of a new discussion series.
In February 2021, the PERIPERI U network, for which Stellenbosch University (SU) provides the secretariat in partnership with the World Bank, hosted an online short course for 45 participants from the Southern African region. The course was aimed at strengthening disaster risk reduction skills and knowledge among SADC-based emerging researchers, early-career practitioners and PhD students with an interest in disasters, risk and resilience.
The network had designed the course to be presented over four weeks. Participants tuned in for two to three online sessions per week, which were taught using a variety of media and techniques. In line with the global trend in delivering short courses since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdown, participants' time was divided between online teaching and discussion sessions, periods of self-study, and tasks that had to be completed for accreditation purposes. Each week was structured around a specific theme, and sessions were taught by lecturers and other experts from SU (as the host institution), but also included contributions from academics from the PERIPER U consortium.
Week 1 was spent introducing key concepts and terminology associated with disaster risk reduction. Participants also examined the complex risk environment in Africa and heard why disaster risk reduction and financing were essential. In week 2, the focus shifted to disaster risk financing in the African context, including case studies illustrating the application of financing tools. Week 3 focused on risk assessment, specifically data needs, availability, collection and analysis, as well as tools to support risk analysis, such as geospatial analysis, new and disruptive technologies, social media and big data. The final week was devoted to community-based risk assessment, and how to work with communities in a participatory way to collect location-specific data. Audio-visual materials and case studies were used throughout to illustrate processes and tools.
In addition, PERIPERI U partners have launched a new online discussion series, PERIPERI U Talks, to discuss disaster risk-related topics and themes with a broader community in Africa and beyond. Online talks of 40 to 60 minutes each are planned to take place once every two weeks via Zoom and will also be livestreamed via various social media platforms to allow for wide audience engagement. The first session on 8 April 202 featured Dr Ricardo Zapata-Martí from the EU a designation consultant to EU, senior advisor, PARTICIP Post-Crisis Assessment and Recovery Planning: Support Office of the EU who discussed his recent experiences in assessing the effects and impacts of COVID-19 and provided some personal reflections on lessons learnt from the pandemic.
For more on upcoming PERIPERI U Talks sessions and how to get involved, please visit the PERIPERI U website at www.riskreductionafrica.com.
