MOOCs on Resilience, Sustainability and Humanitarian Affairs
The year 2017 is coming to its end but still there is so much to learn. If you wish to expand your understanding of different topics related to Resilience, Sustainability or Humanitarian Assistance, here are some very interesting MOOCs for you. And as I always say, if you find something useful on my blog, do share the info with others. Happy Learning!
Humanitarian Essentials (Part 1)
Humanitarian Essentials (Part 1)
By- International Training Center of ILO and Humanitarian Leadership Academy
This MOOC is an opportunity for humanitarians at early state of their career to enhance their knowledge and skills on humanitarian essentials. By taking part in this course, you will achieve the "Understanding humanitarian context and applying humanitarian principles" domain of globally recognised Core Humanitarian Competencies Framework (CHCF). Moreover you will have the possibility to join a global learning experience by connecting with other peers and benefiting from the feedback of experienced humanitarian professionals. Go to course page by clicking here.
E-Learning Course on DRR & CCA
By- DRR Platform, Switzerland
In 2017, the Swiss NGO DRR Platform developed a basic course on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) for self-paced e-learning consisting of four modules in the form of power point presentations ready for download. The course is open to everybody, particularly addressing practitioners new to the fields of DRR and CCA. It is based on the broad expertise of the Swiss NGO DRR Platform and its partners. The four course modules cover the key concepts of DRR and CCA, practical case studies of different geographic contexts, illustrative video material and further references. Go to course page by clicking here.
Disasters and Ecosystems: Resilience in a Changing Climate
By- Technical University of Cologne, Germany and UNEP
Originally developed and launched in 2015 by the Technical University of Cologne, Germany and UN Environment, this MOOC explores interlinkages between ecosystems, disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. It enhances knowledge and skills for tackling complex issues such as resilience and transformation, sustainable development, ecosystem management, disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation and how they can be operationalized. It was designed for disaster managers and practitioners, climate change adaptation professionals, development planners, project implementers and policy makers and students from all walks of life. Go to course page by clicking here.
Governance of Disaster Risk
By- University of Extremadura, Spain
The course Disaster Risk Governance seeks to study disaster risk from the perspective of the paradoxes for its reduction in contemporary society. While we see how the economic costs of disasters are increasing in developing countries, the death toll in the developing countries does not diminish and the losses are critically challenging their social and economic development. While society has made great progress in disaster response this is not contributing to significantly advance in disaster risk reduction. However, new emerging paradigms are helping to better understand and tackle some of these challenges, such as a more comprehensive and integrative approach, and combining reactive and proactive policies, and structural and non-structural solutions. The understanding of governance of disaster risk as multihazard, cross-sectoral, multilevel, and participatory may help to envisage a mode of governance to better tackle the challenge of a risk society with increasingly reduced disaster risk and more equitable. Go to course page by clicking here.
Introduction to Resilience for Development
By- UNDP, Stockholm Resilience Centre, the Secretariat of CBD, Pronatura, ECOSUR, NBSAP Forum and The Nature Conservancy
Introduction to Resilience for Development is a two-part Massive Open Online Course (MOOC). Part 1: Understanding Resilience Thinking, introduces the concept of resilience and shows how you can use resilience assessments to address pressing conservation and development challenges. You will learn about the key steps for conducting resilience assessments, how to develop resilience assessments using existing frameworks, and how to use these results to develop effective sustainable development and conservation actions. Part 1 runs from 31 October through 27 November 2017. Part 2, Applying Resilience Thinking to National Biodiversity and Development Plans, will build upon Part 1 and discuss how resilience assessment tools can be used to inform the implementation of national biodiversity strategies and action plans, and to enhance protected area management. Part 2 will run from 23 January to 13 February 2018. Go to course page by clicking here.
National Adaptation Plans- Building Climate Resilience in Agriculture
By- UNDP, FAO and UNITAR
This massive open online course on National Adaptation Plans: Building Climate Resilience in Agriculture brings you closer to the nexus of climate change adaptation, agriculture and sustainable development. If you want to learn from development professionals currently engaged in national adaptation planning and agriculture, then this 6-week course is for you. This intensive course aims to equip participants with a better understanding of the interlinkages between climate change, agriculture, food security and the role of National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). The course is an important learning opportunity for climate change practitioners, academics, students and government representatives interested in increasing their knowledge on what it means to incorporate climate change risks into planning and budgeting processes involving the agriculture sector. Go to course page by clicking here.
Humanitarian Response to Conflict and Disaster
By- Harvard Humanitarian Initiative and HarvardX
From the Syrian refugee crisis to the West Africa Ebola outbreak, humanitarian emergencies have reached unprecedented dimensions and proportions. As need for humanitarian aid grows, how can efforts to alleviate human suffering evolve with it? This course from the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative and HarvardX seeks to prepare learners to recognize and analyze emerging challenges in the humanitarian field. The course explores the ethical and professional principles that guide humanitarian response to conflict and disaster. Participants will learn the legal and historical frameworks that shaped these principles, test their applicability to the challenges faced by humanitarian actors today. Go to course page by clicking here.
A Resilient Future: Science and Technology for Disaster Risk Reduction
By- Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne, Switzerland
This course aims to introduce participants to existing and emerging technologies suitable for disaster risk reduction while promoting the overall aim of sustainable development. The course focuses on three main natural hazards- floods, landslides and earthquakes. It also discusses the challenges and limits of adapting and adopting technologies depending on context (Global North and Global South) with examples from Switzerland, Nepal, Colombia, Philippines and other countries. Go to course page by clicking here.
