The main idea behind the colloquium

To be able to handle crisis and risks there is a need for different skills. We will focus on learning by combining theory and practice. Since NEEDS is a disaster management community, scenarios in line with this theme are wanted.

This colloquium can be an experience transfer between educators that work with scenario-based training and want to develop this further. Drawing on different experiences from different countries can be a way to facilitate each other. Some institutions have labs, others have practical experimental facilities and other have long experience in using scenarios in education. This is a way to combine theory and practice. How can we use scenarios a.o. in teaching students about risk and disaster management? What are the challenges in making fruitful scenarios? How complex can they be? What level is the scenario suited for, strategic- tactic or operational?  These are amongst the issues of relevance in this colloquium.

The first presentation will be given by the host of the colloquium associate professor Aud Solveig Nilsen at Bachelor in International preparedness. Harstad. Norway.

First a presentation of some overall philosophy about pragmatism connected to strategic crisis management. Examples from strategic crisis management about covid-19 in Norway will be used as an illustration of complex and unstable situations. This is a foundation to explain how we can teach students to handle dilemmas and challenges in situations of uncertainty.  What kinds of skills do they need to have when situations are unfolding in challenging and unexpected ways? These questions are illuminated through different theories, some references are given at the end of this text. So be free to read and prepare in advance. 

Thereafter we will have presentations of different use of scenarios, labs, practical experiment facilities a.o. linked to crisis and disaster management in teaching purposes. Some are invited but it is an open colloquium so feel free to apply. 

Speakers

Aud Solveig Nilsen, associate professor. PhD in Risk Management and Societal Safety. Workplace: UiT The Arctic University of Norway. Campus Harstad Bachelor in International Emergency Preparedness. Research interests: Municipal risk management, scenario and future research.
Theme of speech: see description above. 

Linda Marie Stakkeland, Assistant professor. Master in Ecology. Workplace: UiT The Arctic University of Norway, campus Harstad. Study program: Bachelor in International Emergency Preparedness. Work experience: Oil Spill Response Training; shoreline and coastal.
Theme for speech: Oil spill scenarios and student activities.

Dina Abdel-Fattah is an associate professor in the Department of Technology and Safety at UiT-the Arctic University of Norway. Campus Harstad. She holds a Ph.D. in Natural Resources and Sustainability from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Her research focus is currently applied. She focuses on how to utilize scientific and theoretical concepts for practical decision-making, particularly in the realms of emergency management and natural hazards preparedness.
Theme of the speech: Active learning.

Natalia Andreassen, Associate Professor in Organization and Management, Nord University. Ph.D. degree from Nord University Business School. Works with Preparedness organizations and crisis management courses and emergency management exercises at Master in preparedness and emergency management. Research interests: Management roles, emergency preparedness organizing, management in complexity, collaboration exercise design.
Theme for speech: Development of collaboration exercises in emergency management. Role of scenarios and experiences from Student Barents Rescue exercise 2020.

Simon D. Griffiths and Richard Kotter Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Engineering and Environment, Northumbria University,Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Theme for speech: Reflecting on the pedagogic benefits of an assessed class-room based professional complex emergency simulation: Responding to fire and other hazards in an industrial urban setting under pressure.