Collaboration with other institutions in Japan and overseas~Sharing of knowledge and insights at the global level~
Cooperation between disaster-hit areas
Lessons learned from the disaster would be effectively used once they are extensively
shared and disseminated in Japan and overseas. At our center, by collaborating withother relevant institutions in Japan and overseas, in addition to sharing the lessons
learned and insights gained from the disaster, we share knowledge by cooperating withother disaster-hits areas that suffered similar kind of disaster, and thereby contribute torecovery activities.
With the acceleration of globalization, there is an increasing demand for sharing
knowledge and insights concerning disaster science, recovery from disaster, anddisaster risk reduction with countries in the Asia Pacific region that are also prone to therisk of natural disasters.
At our university, we have been actively engaged in building network with theinternational society through the initiatives of environment education and Education for
Sustainable Development (ESD), and UNESCO Associated schools. Through exchange
training programs with the IIDEA of Ministry of Education, Thailand, with whom we havecollaborated, and through opportunities like JICA group training, we promote exchange
between researches and practitioners in the fields of disaster risk reduction educationand operation of evacuation shelters.
Besides, for the United Nations World Conference on Disaster Prevention to be held in
Sendai in March 2015, we have set up our liaison office for the conference in Researchand Development Division, and we would seek effective methods for information
dissemination and discussion.

Public and private universities
in Miyagi Prefecture

Boards of Education

National universities and departments
engaged in teacher-training.

Schools locatedin disaster-hit areas

Dispatch of volunteer students& teachers

Request fordispatch

Communication andcoordination

Domestic andinternationalorganizations
such as UNESCO
Support

Sharing lessons
and insights

Miyagi University of Education Center for Disaster Education & Recovery Assistance
Research and Development Division

Practical Support Division

・ Understanding the current needs of recovery of education in disaster-hit areas
・ Optimization of support, offering practical support
・ Accumulating lessons learned and insights gained from the Great East Japan Earthquake
・ Collaboration with other domestic and international institutions-Global knowledge-sharing-Cooperation between disaster-hit areas・ Review of disaster risk reduction education programs and development of teaching materials
・ Demonstration and practice of creating new Avenues for community disaster prevention
in light of the earthquake disaster

Contributing to local community

Innovation in Education

Learning assistancein the disaster-hit schools
Projects for revitalizing
the local community involving children

Creating new education in disaster
preparedness and recovery
Developing and innovating career education
Education meeting the current needs

Miyagi University of Education

Center for Disaster Education & Recovery Assistance

Current status ofCenter for Disaster Education& Recovery AssistanceGlobal Human Resource Development
for Disaster Recovery
Collaboration withSoutheast Asian countries
Cooperation with institutions abroad

Miyagi University of Education

Center for Disaster Education & Recovery Assistance

149, Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-0845 JAPAN +81-22-214-3296

E-Mail : fukkou@adm.miyakyo-u.ac.jp

Initiatives of the university for recoveryof education in the disaster-hit areas,and prospects of recovery

completed.
In Center for Disaster Education & Recovery

lives. I extend my deep condolences to the people who lost their lives. Inaddition to sincerely praying from the bottom of my heart that therecovery efforts progress smoothly, we are putting our best efforts forthe recovery of education at our university.

Center), Sendai Central Office, and Iwanuma Office
were established in parallel. Kesennuma City andMiyagi University of Education Collaboration Center
offered the same place as the city board of
donated to Kesennuma City by Kahoku Shimpo
Publishing Co., Ltd.
Another recent progress is the increase inconsciousness among students for volunteer
activities, which has resulted in the demonstration ofexcellent capabilities, and voluntary support
activities provided mostly to the students by forming

Dr. Kazuyuki Mikami
President, Miyagi University of Education

Response at the time of disaster
Immediately after the Great East Japan Earthquake,while the university was putting all its efforts toconfirm the safety of students, restoring the lifeline
services, and inspecting the safety of buildings andfacilities; students, faculty members, and staff
members of the university started providing
voluntary and dedicated support to the disastervictims and the disaster-hit areas. We express ourthe university came up with “Miyagi and Sendai
Future Development Project”, and extended thesupport of university such as providing relief goods.
As the initial structure of this support, day-to-day“relationship” such as network of practical training
and UNESCO Associated schools came in handy,
which finally evolved as a bridge linking thedisaster-hit schools and support personnel.

students who were engaged in taking care ofActivities of Center for Disaster
Education & Recovery Assistancecollege students in the university on practical

In June 2011, right after the earthquake, thetraining, faculty members who looked after theuniversity established Center for Disaster Education

affected students at their own residences, and& Recovery Assistance as the core unit responsible

administrative staff members who provided support

for taking initiatives for recovery of education in theto the disaster-hit areas on weekends. Amidst this,disaster-hit areas. In addition, 14 universities from allheartfelt gratitude to the committed hard work ofover Japan also extended their cooperation bydispatching volunteers, and they are engaged involunteer activities for supporting learning along withthe students of our university. Moreover, incooperation with the local boards of education, wehave been compiling articles on the lessons fromrecovery of education after earthquake for eachregion.
From April 2013, in addition to the aforementioned
Practical Support Division, we further activatedResearch and Development Division. In June 2013,
construction of the building of the center wasoverseas.

Assistance, Kesennuma Office (c/o Collaboration

education in the former Kahoku building that was
The Great East Japan Earthquake resulted in the loss of many precious

organized by the center, and receiving visitors fromvolunteer teams.

Global networking of disasterprevention and disaster risk reductioneducation
I think it is important to globally disseminate theknowledge and insights about lessons learned fromthe massive earthquake disaster. We are sharing theinformation with the world by publishing the articles
related to earthquake disaster, publishingnewsletters on our website, publishing brochures ofvolunteer activities all in English, while inviting
non-Japanese speakers in “Recovery Cafe”

Transfer of knowledge and lessons
learned through collaborative
network of disaster risk reduction
education
It is said that a massive earthquake like the Great
East Japan Earthquake strikes once in thousandyears. What kind of message should be conveyed
until the next thousand years where the next
massive earthquake strikes? In preparation for
natural disasters that frequently occur across theworld, continuously interacting through the global
network that offers mutual support is one of theimportant methods. For that, Miyagi University ofEducation is aiming at building a network forextensively sharing scientific knowledge andexperience of disaster handling in educational
institutions. For children who would be playing
important roles in the future, in addition to putting
our best efforts for recovery of the disaster-hitareas, compiling the lessons learned from thedisaster, effectively communicating them, andpassing them over generations is a key mission
assigned to our university.

Miyagi University of Education ~Current status of Support Centerfor Revival in Education~

Progress of Practical Support Division

Reconsideration of Disaster Risk Reduction Education Program andPreparation of Study Material

Status of volunteer activities for learning assistanceBased on the knowledge gained and lessons learned from the earthquake disaster, we are engaged in developing andconducting new disaster risk reduction education initiatives, and we are also involved in preparing study material for that.

One of the most prominent outcomes of the activities
undertaken by Center for Disaster Education &Recovery Assistance is conducting volunteer activities

engaged in various activities such as supplemental

At present, through joint research with Center for Simulation Sciences, Ochanomizu University, we are participating in thestudy sessions using long vacation and weekends.

development and verification of study material for simulating the operations of evacuation shelters.

Besides, apart from long vacation period, we alsofor supporting learning. Based on the request forprovide support by assisting in teaching during

support from board of education in the prefecture andday-to-day classes and after school activities atschools in the disaster-hit areas, while coordinating

Nakano Elementary School and Arahama Elementarywith volunteer students sent from public and private

School in Sendai City, and Tamaura Elementary School

universities in the prefecture and nationalin Iwanuma City.

Insights Gained and Lessons Learned from the Great East Japan Earthquake
From the standpoint of socio-seismology, we would strive to understand natural environment (environment such as groundcharacteristics and topographical features) and social environment (especially, mechanism and dwelling environment in local

teacher-training universities all over Japan, we aresociety) specific to Tsunami-hit areas, collect information about successful and unsuccessful examples of evacuation fromTsunami disaster, and we would like to propose the ideal state of future regional plan and evacuation suitable to the regional

Current status ofCenter for Disaster Education& Recovery Assistance

Educating students through volunteer activities forlearning assistance
Recruiting volunteers forsupporting recovery of education

university festival, we organized a symposium “recoveryafter earthquake disaster as conceptualized by theWhile having a profound impact on our minds fromstudents of Miyagi University of Education – What I canvarious aspects, the 2011 earthquake taught us severaldo”. We think what motivated students was the actualthings. With various memories in their minds, children invoice of students rather than we staff members.
disaster-hit areas. By actually visiting Okawa

for Disaster Education & Recovery Assistance rightoffices for teaching staff studying disaster riskinteracting with them during recess time affords a greatElementary School in Ishinomaki City, Tokura

after the earthquake in June 2013 for contributing toreduction education, as well as a meeting room foropportunity of future learning, and it also affects the

Elementary School in Minami Sanriku, Kadonowaki

the recovery of education. So far, in collaboration

students engaged in volunteer activities for theinnate qualities of teaching faculty over a period of time.

Elementary School in Ishinomaki City, and Arahama

with teacher-training universities all over Japan, welearning assistance.

Because of this, we have a strong desire of having

Elementary School in Sendai City by bus, and throughmore and more students of our university experience

directly listening about the situation at the time ofthe volunteer work for supporting learning, anddisaster from school principals, many participants wereabout 4,000 student volunteers to the disaster-hit

priorities for recovery of education in Miyagi

therefore we created the concept of “committee ofextremely moved and shaken from inside. Conversation

areas.

prefecture keeping in mind the recovery measuresvolunteers for supporting recovery of education”.

in the bus was also such that it further deepened theBuilding awareness about
the importance of learning support

significance of the visit. “We have the duty to listen to

Over two years after that, we completed thetaken by the local municipalities, and provide

construction of center building that would become

support from medium to long term standpoint.

the base of support activities for recovery of

In addition to psychological care of children andeducation in the disaster-hit areas, and its opening

students and aiming for improving their academic

ceremony was held on June 29, 2013 where about

achievements, it is important to develop capabilities

80 people including faculty members and students

for surviving in the society in general. Besides,of the university, Ministry of Education, Culture,supporting the teaching faculty in institutions is alsoSports, Science and Technology, andan essential initiative.

For having many students achieve the desired goal ofDemonstration and Practice of Creation of New “Avenues” for Community
Disaster Risk Reduction

Besides, we had our students actually visit theProviding learning support to such children andObjective of the center is to clearly identify theBesides, at Research and Development Division, we also participate in the activities of associations such as Japan Association
for Earthquake Engineering, Association of Japanese Geographers, The Tohoku Geographical Association, and we are actively

various volunteer associations arranged during themeters. It is equipped with research laboratory andhave provided support for learning by sending

disaster-hit areas, collaboration between board of education and schools will be very important in the future as well.

engaged in academic exchange through discussion with researchers in Japan and overseas.

the disaster-hit areas are still attending their schools.
Miyagi University of Education established Center

environment in the case of Tsunami disaster. In that also, because we expect that schools have a very large role to play inthe talk of many people in disaster-hit areas, carefully

In community disaster risk reduction, it is important that various bodies such as government, schools, fire associations,
voluntary disaster risk reductions organizations, neighborhood associations, and NGOs prepare for risks and disasters incooperation. At our center, in collaboration with the researchers of International Research Institute of Disaster Science,
Tohoku University, we organize research sessions and workshops, and we work towards creating new “Avenues” forProgress of Research andDevelopment Division
Full-fledged start of “Disaster Recovery Assistance Laboratory”
under Research and Development Divisionconsider their feelings, and know the truth. I could feelthe sense of mission in becoming a teacher in this era,

At Center for Disaster Education & Recovery Assistance,

using simplified wireless and amateur CB radio. By compiling the results and issues with such demonstration experiments, wewould contribute to community disaster risk reduction of each area.

Understanding the current needs for recoveryof education in disaster-hit areas
With the cooperation of affected municipalities and boards of education ,and I would like to protect lives and happiness ofin addition to understanding the continuously changing

research and study sessions have started.

teacher-training universities through the earthquake

children in future. (from the feedback received from a

we strive to understand the current situation of recovery and issues faced bysituation of the disaster-hit areas and looking into theWe periodically organize “Recovery Café” for learning

disaster-hit communities and schools. Especially, we conduct monitoringdisaster, we mutually confirmed that enriching thestudent)”

support needs for recovery, we have establishedand discussing the status of recovery from earthquake

about spatial movement of victims who had no option but relocate or live in

Research and Development Division so that we canand initiatives of various foreign countries for disaster

temporary houses, and relationship with the region as well as issues in town

activities of volunteers engaged in supporting recovery

Conveying the feelings from one student to anotherdevelopment.

of education in future is the most important item, andstudent. Such activities have been successful, anddisseminate and share information with other Japaneseprevention, thereby increasing awareness about role

we decided to take measures for that.

activities of students have also become more vigorous.

and overseas institutions. For strengthening thisand mission of the center and refreshing the feelings forrecord of collaborating with board of education and schools, teacher-training

this initiative.

universities would collect and record information concerning their experienceAs a center engaged in recovery of the entire

municipal board of education participated.

society, Center for Disaster Education & Recovery

To begin with, in addition to students’ earthquake

function, we have assigned two specially appointed

Assistance is on a firm path with the involvement ofdisaster recovery project that evolved from opinion

faculty members, who are engaged in collaborative

other universities and regions.

exchange session between the representatives ofsurvey and research.

structure, with the total floor area of 285 square

Besides, for taking measures for preventing isolation of evacuation shelters in schools in cooperation with the model regions
and schools in the prefecture, we have started initiatives for creating awareness about disaster communication volunteers

improving their innate qualities as students ofrepresentatives from Miyagi Prefecture andCenter building is a two-story reinforced concrete

After the center building was inaugurated, full-fledged

community disaster prevention considering the lessons learned from the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Besides, leveraging the strengths of our university in terms of proven trackand lessons in using many schools as evacuation shelters at the time of theGreat East Japan Earthquake.