Udayana University Collaborates with University of Hawaii to Hold Scientific Forum on Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDDR)

Udayana University (Unud) through the Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM) in collaboration with the University of Hawaii at Manoa US held a Scientific Forum on Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDDR) activity which was carried out in a Hybrid manner, namely online through the Cisco Webex application and offline at the Building Widya Sabha, Jimbaran Campus, Unud, Wednesday (25/05/2022).

The Scientific Forum on Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDDR) is a forum for exchanging information, discussing the latest developments, and developing knowledge and cross-sectoral partnerships to improve the implementation of disaster risk reduction. The topics discussed in this forum include: Collaborative Education and Training by Utilizing Breakthrough Technology; Vulnerable People in Remote Areas and Small Islands; and Disaster Risk Management and Governance.

Rector of Udayana University Prof. I Nyoman Gde Antara in his speech said that this SFDDR activity was related to the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) activities carried out in Bali. The University of Hawaii and Udayana University collaborated to host this scientific forum where experts, academics, and practitioners from around the world can share discoveries, lessons learned, and best practices together. In this regard, Udayana University also supports the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), both at the Regency and Provincial levels in Bali in the context of recovering and developing stronger resilience in Bali.

Furthermore, the Rector said that Udayana University had allocated funds to support various mitigation and adaptation activities both to support studies on mitigation, education, and capacity building training for disaster management and humanitarian programs. Various practices and community sharing related to disasters have been delivered, such as medical assistance, disaster risk assessment, and public education during the landslide disaster in Buleleng district in 2016, the eruption of Mount Agung in 2017, the Lombok earthquake in 2018, earthquake and liquefaction in Palu Sulawesi in 2018 , as well as the eruption of Mount Semeru in East Java in 2021.

While Prof. Karl Kim, Ph.D., Professor of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Hawaii on this occasion expressed his gratitude to Udayana University for being willing to host the Scientific Forum on Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDDR). It's nice to be able to meet directly with academics, researchers, and others through this forum, after two and a half years we can only meet through Zoom Meetings. (HM)