Dear Partners, Friends, and Colleagues,

CRSCAD in Indonesia; signs an MOU

The University of Massachusetts Boston and Universitas Airlangga Faculty of Medicine in Surabaya, Indonesia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

• to assess possibilities of offering study-abroad programs in various forms for students, faculty, and staff
• to promote cooperative applied research initiatives in both countries in post-disaster reconstruction
• to conduct research in the area of sustainable development, among others
• to promote the exchange and sharing of instructional and academic research-related information and materials
• to collaborate on third party funded educational and research activities
• to promote other academic activities (e.g., offering graduate level certificate programs in Global Post-Disaster Studies, dual degree programming, team or joint teaching, international conferences, symposia, seminars, and guest speakers series)
• to organize joint workshops, conferences and seminars on Disaster Management involving city and state officials as well as community members and leaders
• to promote online projects, both as independent initiatives and as delivery components integrated into other projects

Within the framework of the MOU, CRSCAD and FMUA jointly organized a 10-day intensive course on Disaster Management in June 2012. It was hosted on the campus of FMUA. A brief report on this development appears below.

I am grateful to Professor Nancy Margarita Rehatta, an exceedingly illustrious medical practitioner/academic and the coordinator of the course, for working with me in a collegial and methodical manner throughout the course planning process, and Lilik Andayani, the dean's assistant at the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, for making all the necessary travel arrangements for the CRSCAD team.

Finally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the following, among others, for their substantial hospitality: Profesors Agung Pranoto (dean of the Faculty of Medicine), Kuntaman (vice dean), and Ivan Rahmatullah.

Sincerely, 

Adenrele Awotona, PhD 

Founding Director and Professor

In 2011, the United Nations' Secretary General awarded the Indonesian President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, with the Global Champion of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Award. The UN acknowledged that "Indonesia - one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world- has become an international role model for disaster management, as it successfully integrates disaster risk reduction (DRR) approaches to its national agenda and policy frameworks."  

In order to integrate DRR into medical education and practice in the country, the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga (FMUA), Surabaya, Indonesia, in collaboration with the Center for Rebuilding Sustainable Communities after Disasters (CRSCAD) recently organized a very successful 10-day intensive course on Disaster Management. It was hosted by FMUA from June 11 to 21, 2012. The course consisted of interactive lectures, seminars, workshops and plenary discussions which were taught and led by distinguished Indonesian academics and practitioners as well as CRSCAD faculty. Participants included medical doctors (practitioners and educators), government officials and other disaster professionals.