Universidad Nacional de Colombia

Course of Superior Education on Integral Risk Management and Disasters for Professionals of Latin America and the Caribbean

The Office of the U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) partnered with Florida International University (FIU) in the framework of the “Risk Management Program Paul C. Bell, Jr”, has supported the realization of three consecutive cycles consisting on a virtual course and an internship on disaster risk management. The course of superior education on integral risk management and disasters uses the e-learning/e-training platform of Structuralia-Politecnico de Cataluña (Spain), in cooperation with the Universidad Nacional de Colombia – Manizales Branch. The internship modality has been organized in Manizales (Colombia) and it is hosted by the University and the Manizales’ Disaster Management Office.

The purpose of the internship is to illustrate a case where advances on integral risk management and disasters can be evidenced. This unique site visit/field experience component (which came to be called the “pasantía” element) used the city of Manizales, Colombia, as a living urban laboratory. Participants will have the opportunity to share experiences with local experts in disaster risk and emergency management, reflecting on the political commitment and long term vision on issues of disaster risk management and analyzing possibilities of replicating the experience throughout the region.

The first iteration of the Manizales program (2006) enrolled 25 people from 8 countries into the online Integral Risk Management and Disasters course. Of the 25 original enrollees, 17 were able to complete the course successfully (rigor induces a certain attrition).

In 2007 the Bell Program - Phase III funded the second iteration of the CIMNE and Manizales program, where 30 individuals from 8 countries enrolled in the online course, 19 of whom successfully completed it.

Actually, July 2009, the Bell Program – Phase IV is close to end the third cohort of the online course in which 25 participants have been enrolled.