UNS — Resolving and mitigation of disaster risk is not the responsibility of a certain party, but also need a collaboration among the community members. This include Higher Education Institution. Responding to this, the Disaster Study Center (PSB-Pusat Studi Bencana) Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta in collaboration with the Higher Education Forum for Disaster Risk Mitigation (FPT-PRB), organized a webinar on the ‘Role of Higher Education Institution in Risk Disaster Mitigation in Indonesia (PRB)’, Friday (30/10/2020). The webinar was available through Zoom Cloud Meeting, which attended by more than 300 participants from universities in various regions.
The first speaker, Dr. Udrekh, from the National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB), states that higher education is the best institutions to integrate observation, study, and community engagement in term of Disaster Study. This according to Dr. Udrekh, cannot be separated from the potential of the universities, such as located in various regions, the flexibility to organize various activities, neutral and authoritative, as well as managing a huge number of students as the agent of change and the center of research.
However, Dr. Udrekh stresses the importance of innovation and its contribution to the development of science. “The disaster management and prevention need multidisciplinary perspectives, under the same theme: disaster. Students of social study and engineering study can be incorporated under a similar theme, thus in the future, this can establish reputable universities,” Dr. Udrekh explains. Further, he explains that disaster should be the source of knowledge that encourage academicians to expand their understanding and capability, creating useful innovation for the community, and establishing a disaster-resilient social order. For instance, Dr. Udrekh mentioned is the Chi-Chi Earthquake Museum of Taiwan as a monument for the Taiwan earthquake 1999.
A similar matter is mentioned by Dr. Eko Teguh Paripurno, who specifically discuss FPT-PRB, states that all universities and study programs can take part in PRB, as mandated to universities by Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR). He further adds that PRB for universities is no longer an opportunity but a mandate to support the implementation of PRB in Indonesia professionally and in line with science and technology. “Basically, academicians become one of the important aspects of disaster risk mitigation and management. How to be familiar with all member of the community. Ensuring that the SFDRR targets are achieved,” explains the Head of FPT-PRB.
On this occasion, the Vice-Rector for Student and Alumni Affairs, Prof. Kuncoro Diharjo, explains the role of UNS in PRB both from the internal and external side. From the internal unit side, UNS through the PSB, which develop research and innovation as a solution for a disaster, especially mitigation, emergency response, reconstruction, and rehabilitation. Moreover, UNS also have UNS Disaster Bakorlak, which respond to an emergency by sending professional disaster volunteers, KSR UNS along with PMI, Vagus FK UNS, and many other students and alumni association.
Meanwhile, for the external unit side, UNS collaborates with IKA UNS and the Regional IKA UNS to establish a caring community known as ‘Alumni Peduli’ and providing logistic assistance, as well as with several. Humas UNS
Reporter: Kaffa Hidayati
Editor: Dwi Hastuti
