The 2015 Advanced Institute (AI) on Disaster Risk Reduction and Loss Mitigation in Taipei, Taiwan from 20-25 April provided young to middle-career researchers and practitioners from Southeast Asia with the enhanced understanding, skills and practical knowledge to reduce disaster risk and mitigate disaster losses in their own countries. The 6-day, intensive training event was hosted and organized by the IRDR International Center of Excellence in Taipei, Taiwan, in partnership with START, the International Council for Sciences and IRDR.

This year’s AI covered topics such as integrative risk management, disaster typologies and approaches, tools and systems for risk and loss reduction, earthquake risk and loss reduction, hydrometeorological disasters and policy and planning in disaster risk and loss reduction.

The sessions included lectures by eminent scholars and practitioners in disaster risk reduction and management, hands-on interactive exercises, trainee panels, and field visits. The participants were taken to a field trip to the 921 Earthquake Museum of Taiwan as part of the programme to explore and enhance abilities of participants to communicate and educate on disaster risk and vulnerabilities.

In the second part of the event, the AI sessions placed emphasis on social costs of disasters. Recently, IRDR’s Working Group on Disaster Loss Data (DATA) has published Guidelines on Measuring Losses from Disasters: Human and Economic Impact Indicators, and works with UNESCAP, as part of its contributions and commitments to the Sendai Framework for Action, on adapting and implementing guidelines across Asia.

The 2015 Advanced Institute heard the opening speech from IRDR Executive Director on the recommendations for stringer engagement of Science and technology in the DRR efforts that came out of the 3rd World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction.