Module 7 - Elective Modules (6 ECTS Credits)

Note: A total of 10 elective modules will be initially offered. Depending on the demand, the majority but not all of these elective courses will take place. Two of these elective modules must be successfully completed in order to complete the module.

Participants may choose two of the following modules:

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  • Elective Module 7a - Disaster Logistics, Actors and Missions in Humanitarian Aid (Case Studies and Exercises) (3 ECTS Credits)

    Module outcomes:

    • Transmitting in-depth and complementary knowledge and skills in the field of humanitarian aid.
    • Improving skills for critical analysis and evaluation of humanitarian aid.
    • Overview of  national (OEZA- Österreichische Entwicklungszusammenarbeit, Diakonie, Hilfswerk Austria) and international stakeholders (ECHO - European Commission's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department, Red Cross) in the field of humanitarian aid.
    • Identification of different practical aspects of humanitarian aid through case studies (crises in the context of national and international aid operations with particular focus on organisational and logistic aspects).
    • Comprehension of the complexity of relationships between political, economic and social factors during a crisis.
    • Highlighting the restrictions and limited possibilities of humanitarian aid.

    Key competences:
    On completion of the module students will be able to …

    • Apply the principles of international disaster logistics.
    • Understand and analyse mechanisms and stakeholders of humanitarian operations based on case studies.
    • Plan and execute humanitarian operations on the basis of smaller logistic assignments.
  • Elective Module 7b - CBRN-Hazards and Mitigation Strategies (3 ECTS Credits)

    Module outcomes:

    • Specialisation on CBRN-Hazards (chemical, biological, radiological und nuclear hazards).
    • Getting familiar with properties of hazardous CBRN materials and their possible effects on humans, the environment and infrastructure.
    • Presentation of possible measures to mitigate the effects of the most important CBRN-Hazards.
    • Demonstration of national and international case studies.

    Key competences:
    On completion of the module students will be able to …

    • Typical sources of CBRN substances.
    • The most important CBRN-Hazards and their possible effects on humans, the environments and infrastructure.
    • Measures to increase resilience against CBRN-Hazards in all four phases of the disaster management cycle.
    • Case studies on CBRN-disasters in the sense of "lessons learned".
  • Elective Module 7c - Exercise regarding the potential consequences of extreme events and global change (3 ECTS Credits)

    Module outcomes:

    • Critical reflection of the relationship between global change, climate change and the increase of extreme events.
    • Presentation of the challenges related to extreme events (multi-hazards, cascading effects, natural-technological (NaTech) disasters).
    • Broadening of relevant terminology (residual, tolerable and acceptable risks).
    • Introduction of strategies to mitigate risks and improve resilience to extreme events.

    Key competences:
    On completion of the module students will be able to …

    • Dealing with extreme events by being able to estimate their magnitude and repercussions.
    • Quantitative hazards and risk assessment of extreme events as well as prediction.
    • The opportunities, problems and limits of disaster management and being able to develop strategies to minimise residual risks.
  • Elective Module 7d - International, European and Austrian Legislation concerning Risk Prevention and Disaster Management (3 ECTS Credits)

    Module outcomes:

    • Presentation of an overview of national, international and European legislation (public and civil laws including intergovernmental contracts).
    • Focus on transboundary risk management (Consideration of areas beyond national borders when disasters occur transnationally).
    • Deeper understanding of the status quo of national and international legislation.
    • Outlook on future legal requirements (national and international), in the context of natural disasters and disaster management.

    Key competences:
    On completion of the module students will be able to …

    • Selected international treaties and conventions as well as international frameworks and initiatives (e.g. Hyogo Framework for Action) as well as their classification according to their field of application and legal scope.
    • European Community law for risk prevention and disaster management (e.g. EU Flood Directive) and its applicability and legal constraints/effects for national disaster legislation.
    • The Austrian national legislation framework (Water Law, Forestry Law, Spatial Planning Law, Building Law, Disaster Control Laws).
    • Assessment of the effectiveness of prevention strategies determined in legal norms.
    • Intergovernmental contracts between Austria and other countries (such as the CEI – Central European Initiative) within the larger legal context.
    • The most important and relevant legal instruments and administrative bodies in Austria within a larger legal context.
    • Principles of civil law and selected judicature in the context of natural disaster management.
  • Elective Module 7e - Psychological Aspects in the Context of Risk Prevention and Disaster Management (Theories and Methods of Crisis Intervention) (3 ECTS Credits)

    Module outcomes:

    • Highlighting the critical aspects of risk prevention.
    • Conveying principle knowledge of the psychological aspects of disaster management.
    • Explaining the psychological aspects of various actors.
    • Basic understanding of reactions and needs of affected persons (e.g. victims, witnesses) relief workers and relatives.
    • Introduction to various reactions to trauma and coping mechanisms.
    • Conveying knowledge on crisis intervention during traumatic crises.

    Key competences:
    On completion of the module students will be able to …

    • Identify critical aspects of risk prevention.
    • Classify basic psychological aspects in disaster management.
    • Comprehend reactions and needs of different stakeholder (such as victims, relief workers, relatives).
    • Differentiate between different trauma reactions and coping mechanisms.
    • Have general overview of the most important aspects and procedures for crisis intervention.
  • Elective module 7f – Foundations of Emergency Medicine (3 ECTS Credits)

    Module outcomes:

    • Meeting the medical and non-medical requirements for dealing with exceptional situations, such as mass assaults, attacks with explosives, blackouts, epidemics, mass casualty incidents and evacuations of medical facilities;
    • Participants analyze and familiarize themselves with procedures aimed at prioritizing medical assistance (so-called triage systems) in the European context;
    • Participants learn about networking approaches in a multifunctional work environment that is divided into different organisations;

    Key competences:
    On completion of the module students will be able to …

    • understand, apply and support triage systems;
    • identify different coping mechanisms;
    • know the equipment and training contents required for coping with exceptional situations;
    • independently design and provide this skills training;
    • understand, know and can competently apply necessary coordination activities;
    • know the challenges of exceptional medical situations.
  • Elective module 7g – Living with Risk: Social Vulnerability and Resilience to Natural Disasters (3 ECTS Credits)

    Module outcomes:

    • Specialisation in research on social vulnerability and resilience in the context of natural hazards and disasters potentially arising from them;
    • Concepts of social vulnerability, social resilience, livelihoods and political ecology;
    • Presentation of the methods used (risk and vulnerability assessment, participatory rural appraisal);
    • Presentation of application examples from different countries;

    Key competences:
    On completion of the module students will be able to …

    • know the concepts of social vulnerability, livelihoods, resilience and political ecology;
    • know the multidimensional effects of natural hazards and natural disasters on livelihoods;
    • know the methods of risk and vulnerability assessment and participatory rural appraisal and are able to evaluate these methods in a critical way;
    • familiarize themselves with key application examples of interventions in terms of the sustainable livelihoods approach as well as relevant lessons learned.
  • Elective modules 7h – Quantitative Analysis of Extreme Risks and their Change (3 ECTS Credits)

    Module outcomes:

    • Participants acquire the ability to quantify extreme risks using extreme value statistics;
    • Participants are familiar with the quantification of frequency and severity of major incidents;
    • Graduates are able to use the block maxima and the threshold approach to identify possible future extreme events;
    • Participants acquire the ability to develop disaster models and present the 4 components of the cat model: hazard, exposure, vulnerability and damage functions;
    • Graduates are able to distinguish between extreme risks and systemic risks and to develop risk management strategies;

    Key competences:
    On completion of the module students will be able to …

    • assess the risks of previous incidents and calculate the probability that they will occur again;
    • quantify the risk of extreme events to occur (that have not yet occurred but are expected to occur);
    • use the quantified risks for cost-benefit analyses of risk management measures;
    • develop a risk layer approach for different actors;
    • notice differences between extreme risks and systemic risks in application scenarios and to minimize risks;
    • identify changes in risks due to global transformations such as climate change based on data.
  • Elective Module 7i - Artificial intelligence in Risk Prevention and Disaster Management (3 ECTS Credits)

    Module outcomes:

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    Key competences:
    On completion of the module students will be able to …

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  • Elective Module 7j - Interdisciplinary research in the context of natural hazards, vulnerability and disasters (3 ECTS Credits)

    Module outcomes:

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    Key competences:
    On completion of the module students will be able to …

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