On December 12-15, 2011, the FIU-DRR Program, the University of Chile, and the University of Concepción organized a DRR workshop in Concepción, Chile, for universities and technical institutions from Chile and Uruguay. The seminar achieved the following objectives: 1) expose higher education DRR programs to cutting-edge paradigms on this topic through the presentation and discussion of both the GAR 2009 and the GAR 2011; 2) establish a dialogue with and activate lines of communication between scientists, researchers, and decision makers involved in DRR; and 3) participate in a forum related to the 2010 earthquake and tsunami as well as visit the areas affected and the reconstruction work.
Thirteen university professors and practitioners were invited by FIU, in addition to faculty from Argentina and Venezuela and graduate students from local universities who attended the workshop at their own expense as well as through an online transmission of the classroom sessions. Universities in Latin America are playing a special role in developing the planning processes of their countries at national, subnational, and local levels. Events like the one organized by FIU expose attendees to cutting-edge knowledge in DRR, helping them introduce the topic into their academic and university extension programs.
The FIU-DRR Program will conduct a follow-up with the attendees in order to identify ongoing university activities in DRR that have the potential to be replicated at the national level. This may include curricula adaptation, research agendas, extension programs, and other initiatives.
