Implementation Research and Education System
Center for Reducing Disaster Risk (IRESC),
Kumamoto University
2-39-1, Kurokami, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto, Japan
http://iresc.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/Outline
The IRESC promotes a wide range of educational and research activities for disaster-reductionoriented society that can respond promptly and flexibly to disasters. Our activities extend from theacademic circle of universities to the ‘field campus’ of local communities. They intend to link theuniversities’ research innovation with the implementation of their achievements in society seamlessly
as social-knowledge technology. In addition, they aim at nurturing human resources that willcontribute to the establishment of robust and resilient social systems against disasters.

Organization
The IRESC consists of three divisions;
1 ) Research Division for Disaster Reduction in Natural and Social Systems2 ) Implementation Division of Science and Technology into Society3 ) Education Division for Disaster Prevention and Reduction
Each division works closely together andpromotes
research,
education
andimplementation activities to make our society
more disaster-reduction-oriented. The IRESC
also sets up Community Steering Committee topromote dialogue and carry out activities withlocal residents, firms, NPOs, national/local
governments, and educational institutions
including elementary schools.

Research Division for Disaster Reduction in Natural and Social Systems
₋ Natural Environmental Change Research Group: Disaster History, Geo-environmental Change,
Aero & Aquatic Environmental Change
₋ Complex Disaster Research Group: Disaster Mechanism, Disaster Risk Communication,
Integrated Disaster Prevention Planning₋ Regional Safety Research Group: Infrastructure & Facility Design, Risk Management,
Disaster Information Communication
Implementation Division of Science and Technology into Society
₋ Developing proto-type models for social implementation / Practical experiment on Field Campus
₋ Promoting personnel exchanges and cooperation with national / local governments & firms throughthe joint research system of Kumamoto University
₋ Strengthening cooperation with stakeholders within the University including Center for Policy Studies
and Local Communities
Education Division for Disaster Prevention and Reduction₋ Developing educational programs & materials in collaboration with elementary / junior-high schools
₋ Deployment of proto-type model for risk communication / Practical experiments on Field Campus
₋ Exchanging faculty & students with international disaster research institutes (Exchange Agreement)

Education and Research Activities
The IRESC implements the Case Station – Field Campus (CASiFiCA) System, which regards theCenter as a research and education core (Case Station) monitoring local communities continuously,
and the communities as sites or fields for practical research and education (Field Campus). Thissystem develops a supporting nexus between the university and the communities, and this nexus
enables the IRESC to smoothly return research achievements to society and to receive feedback
from local residents and government administrative staff by their teaching to university students.
Furthermore, the combination of university and communities provides opportunities for both toconsider how the faculty, local residents and administrative staff should cooperate. The IRESC will
nurture leaders to support disaster-reduction-oriented society through this system.
Research Survey on Disaster Damage and Residents’ Evacuation
We are conducting surveys on flood and landslide damage caused by the unprecedented
downpours in Northern Kyushu in 2012 as well as questionnaire research on the residents’evacuation behaviors, etc.

Flood Simulations
We analyze and clarify characteristics of flood disaster and damage by timeseries data obtained from the flood simulation tests.

Education for Disaster Protection and Reduction
We promote diffusion and education on environmental characteristics and conceivable
natural disasters for each area as well as response/preventive measures in daily life
against the disasters, for local residents, administrative staff, children, students andteachers.

Compiling a Database of Flooded Area and Photographs Using Google API
We share the location of flooded areas and photos right after disasters on
Google Map.
Comparing to the existing flood hazard map (Source from: Website of Crisis Management andDisaster Prevention Office, General Affairs Bureau, Kumamoto City).

Practical Workshops for Reducing Damage from Disasters
We conduct workshops to increase awareness for disaster reduction and early
evacuation for communities in Kumamoto Prefecture. This project aims to establish
management strategies to implement the elements of social technology into localcommunities.

Leaders-Fostering Program for Disaster Risk Reduction Community
Program for Promoting Inter-University Collaborative Education by MEXT, started from 2012

This program aims to establish the “Center of Community (COC): the Basefor the Creation of Disaster Reduction Local Community” which contributes
actively to the local community by continuously fostering leaders who findand deal with problems related to a disaster-reduction-oriented society, incooperation with Prefectural University of Kumamoto, Kumamoto Gakuen
University, and Kumamoto Health Science University. In this program, wedevelop Community Collaborative Learning Programs utilizing Field
Campus to produce the leaders.

Opening Seminar of the IRESC(March 5, 2013)