Global Disaster Resilience Centre
University of Huddersfield, UK
www.hud.ac.uk/gdrc

OutlineA leader in inter-disciplinary research, education and advocacy to improve the resilience of nations andcommunities
What would it be like to live in a world in which government authorities, businesses, communities andindividuals work together to create a society that is able to withstand the effects of unforeseen events andthreats? At the Global Disaster Resilience Centre we are working with stakeholders at the global, national,
municipal and local level to make this happen. The Global Disaster Resilience Centre is committed toexcellence in research, education and advocacy to improve the resilience of nations and communities todisasters. Global Disaster Resilience Centre (GDRC) carries out research, education and advocacy activities
to help improve the resilience of nations and communities to disasters. GDRC’s work focuses on the role ofthe built environment: how the design, development and management of buildings, spaces and places canbe used to increase resilience.
Much of the Centre’s work is multi or interdisciplinary, and the team work closely with UK and international
academic partners from across the social and physical sciences, as well as key stakeholders from policy,government and industry. They provide strategic advice and practical guidance based on rigorous researchthat is informed by industry and community members. With growing population and infrastructures, theworld’s exposure to hazards is increasing. When disaster strikes, communities may need to be rebuilt
physically economically and socially. At the same time, it is vital that any reconstruction activity pro-actively
considers how to protect people and their environment, and reduce a community’s vulnerability.

Research themes
Research areas include, but are not limited to: Disaster resilience from the perspective of thesocial/political, economic and physical sciences, and across national boundaries; Critical social, economic,and physical factors that enable a system, community or society potentially exposed to hazards to maintainan acceptable level of functioning and structure; Designing Sustainable Housing Systems for Vulnerable
Communities; Disasters, Reconstruction and Design Responsibility; urban resilience, sustainable urban
designs for post disaster reconstruction; Disaster relief: humanitarian architecture for post-disaster shelter;
New mechanisms to input planning and designing solutions that help create a resilient community;
Understanding disaster risk; Development of innovative national and local policies and practices for disasterrisk management; Strengthening governance to manage disaster risk; Preparedness for response, recovery
and reconstruction – “Build Back Better”; Community engagement and participation in reconstruction;
Social impact of reconstruction; Empowerment of women and other vulnerable groups; Community
maturity for improved disaster resilience.

International activities
The Centre contributes to national and international committees to advise and guide on strategic andtechnical issues pertaining to disaster management. The Centre also provides leadership in actively helping
to determine the research direction of the field, with a major International journal, periodic conferencesand events, and frequent publication of cutting edge research in refereed journals, which are acclaimed
nationally and internationally.
More details:

http://www.hud.ac.uk/research/researchcentres/gdrc/othernationalandinternationalengagements/

Recent projects
The Centre’s members are very experienced in obtaining European research councils funding. They leadand contribute to major collaborative international research projects that involve partners across the globe.
Some examples include: ANDROID (Academic Network for Disaster Resilience to Optimise educatIonal Development) – apartnership with 67 international partners
 CASCADE (Collaborative Action towards Societal Challenges through Awareness, Development andEducation) – an international partnership with 17 partners
The Centre is keen to develop future projects that address societal challenges and international
cooperation, inclusive, innovative and secure societies, support for bilateral, multilateral and bi-regional
policy dialogue, and networking and twinning activities to facilitate partnering and competence building.
Research project details: http://www.hud.ac.uk/research/researchcentres/gdrc/researchprojects/

PhD programme
The Centre’s PhD programme lays the foundations of inquiry that are relevant to disaster management.
Researchers benefit from its strong research culture and there are strategies in place to ensure PhD
research is of the highest quality and can achieve sustained growth. The Centre has defined principles thatare applied throughout its work.
Protocols are designed to ensure researchers have sufficient time, authority and responsibility to conduct
and develop their activities. This mechanism is also designed to maximise the opportunity to invest in andnurture researchers under the mentoring of senior researchers.
More details: http://www.hud.ac.uk/research/researchcentres/gdrc/researchdegreeopportunities/Protecting and rebuilding communities
With populations and infrastructures increasing the world over, our exposure to hazards is increasing. It isvital that we consider how to protect people and their environment, and reduce a community’svulnerability. GDRC’s work recognises that development of the built – or physical – environment must not
be carried out in a vacuum. Instead, much of the GDRC’s work highlights the importance of developing
resilience through linking the community’s built environment to its broader social, natural, institutional andeconomic needs. When a disaster does strike, the built environment also plays a vital role in the recovery
process as communities need to be rebuilt physically, economically and socially.

Research Achievements and Challenges


















Professor Dilanthi Amaratunga and Professor Richard Haigh have been Advisory Panel members ofthe UNISDR making cities resilient campaign since its inception in 2010. GDRC contributes as a main
global partner in the campaign, representing academic, technical and expert institutions, and also
contributes toward the campaign’s overall goal - empower local governments with stronger
national policies to invest in risk reduction at local level, as part of urban and regional development
plans by working with them closely. They also have been formally identified as Advocates of theUNISDR Making Cities Resilience Campaign and in this role, they promote urban disaster resiliencein their spheres of influence.
Excel in research within an interdisciplinary environment
Lead international research that has a global reach and impact(http://www.hud.ac.uk/research/researchcentres/gdrc/latestnews/)
Edit the International Journal of Disaster Resilience n the Built Environment Journal (SCOPUSindexed) http://www.hud.ac.uk/research/researchcentres/gdrc/internationaljournalofdisasterresilienceinth
ebuiltenvironment/
Constantly publish our research - internationally outstanding, displaying a very high level oforiginality, significance and rigour, innovative and potentially agenda setting(http://www.hud.ac.uk/research/researchcentres/gdrc/publications/)
Are a key partner of the UNISDR Making Cities Resilient Campaign and are members of its steeringcommittee
Act as Advocates of UNISDR
Are a UNHABITAT University
Provide leadership to our international conferences on building resilience(http://www.hud.ac.uk/research/researchcentres/gdrc/buildingresilienceconferenceseries/
Lead the ANDROID Disaster Resilience Network(http://www.hud.ac.uk/research/researchcentres/gdrc/researchprojects/android/ )Provide leadership for capacity building activities globally(http://www.hud.ac.uk/research/researchcentres/gdrc/capacitybuildingactivities/ )Have a friendly and supporting research environment http://www.hud.ac.uk/research/researchcentres/gdrc/researchdegreeopportunities/
Make a difference with research in the real world http://www.hud.ac.uk/research/researchcentres/gdrc/creatingimpactthroughresearch/
Have a thriving postgraduate researcher community http://www.hud.ac.uk/research/researchcentres/gdrc/researchdegreeopportunities/

The Global Centre for Disaster Resilience is part of the School of Art, Design and Architecture at theUniversity of Huddersfield in the UK. In November 2013, the University of Huddersfield was awarded theTimes Higher Education University of the Year. The University excels in enterprise and innovation and in2012, was named the Times Higher Education Entrepreneurial University of the Year.

International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment

ISSN: 1759-5908
Editors: Professor Richard Haigh and Professor Dilanthi Amaratunga
Frequency: 4 issues per year
Indexed in Scopus
Website: www.emeraldinsight.com/ijdrbe
The journal aims to further knowledge and understanding of the link between the built environment anddisaster mitigation, response and reconstruction.
The journal seeks to: Develop the skills and knowledge of the built environment research community and professions
working in disaster prone areas, so that they may strengthen their capacity in strategic andpractical aspects of disaster prevention, mitigation, response and reconstruction
 Provide a unique forum for novel enquiries into the development and application of new andemerging practices as a source of innovation to challenge current practices
 Promote the exchange of ideas between researchers, educators, practitioners and policy makers
 Influence disaster prevention, mitigation, response and reconstruction policies and practices
The journal covers research and scholarly activity that examines the role of building and construction toanticipate and respond to disasters that damage or destroy the built environment. Although the origins andcauses of disasters are varied, the consequences to human society are frequently similar: extensive loss oflife, economic losses, hindering development goals, destruction of the built and natural environment,
increasing vulnerability and disempowerment of the local community.
Indexed in the Scopus citation database, the journal develops built environment skills and knowledge andstrengthens abilities in disaster prevention, mitigation, response and reconstruction, helping to mitigate
the effects of disasters nationally and internationally.

International conferences
The Global Disaster Resilience Centre (GDRC) is leading major international academic conferences in theareas of resilience and the built environment. Its Professors Dilanthi Amaratunga and Richard Haighestablished the “International Building Resilience Conference” series in 2006 and since then, have beenchairing the conferences held under this banner.
It has led and contributed to the organisation of several conferences. These events demonstrate its role asa leader in the disaster mitigation and reconstruction field, an excellent organiser, and as a conduit forinternational collaboration and engagement.
These conferences brought together major international networks to address global challenges andadvance research agendas. They extend the University’s reputation and its ability to influence policy
makers, industrialist and academics alike.

Most recently, the 4th International Conference on Building Resilience was held from 8th - 11th September
2014, at MediaCityUK, Salford, in the United Kingdom (www.buildresilience.org/2014).
Previous conferences:
http://www.hud.ac.uk/research/researchcentres/gdrc/buildingresilienceconferenceseries/

For more information about our research and advocacy, please contact:
Professor Dilanthi Amaratunga & Professor Richard HaighGlobal Disaster Resilience Centre
University of Huddersfield
Queensgate, Huddersfield
HD1 3DH
United Kingdom
w: www.hud.ac.uk/gdrc
t: +44 (0)1484 471387
e: d.amaratunga@hud.ac.uk / r.haigh@hud.ac.uk