Disaster Management: Introduction to Humanitarian Aid
Learn the basic principles and approaches to responding to humanitarian emergencies with this free online course.
Duration
2 weeksWeekly study
3 hours
Disaster Management: Introduction to Humanitarian Aid
Explore guiding principles and approaches used by humanitarian teams.
Earthquake, flood, fire, famine and conflict - we seem to be hearing more about these things every day, and watching as they impact communities all over the world. Fortunately, there are many organisations made up of dedicated people who are trained and ready to assist communities affected by disasters.
- Explore the history of disaster management and humanitarian action
- Examine the principles of humanitarian action
- Discover how responses to disaster are coordinated
What topics will you cover?
There is no such thing as a typical humanitarian response to a disaster. Each disaster requires a unique response that will be dictated by the circumstances involved. There are, however, principles, practice and values that can guide us and inform our actions. This course focuses on:
- exploring the history of humanitarian action
- reviewing current practice and trends
- investigating the challenges of complex disasters
- discovering the key factors in coordinating responses
When would you like to start?
Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.
Available now
Learning on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Explore the history of humanitarian response
- Identify the key principles and codes of conduct associated with humanitarian action and management
- Describe the relationship between humanitarian responses, donors and funding
Who is the course for?
This course has been created for those working in the humanitarian sector and those interested in humanitarian issues and leadership but there are no special requirements. It is also a free introduction to Deakin University’s full postgraduate degrees in Development and Humanitarian Action, which can be completed entirely on FutureLearn.
Who will you learn with?
Associate Professor Phil Connors is co-Director of the Centre for Humanitarian Leadership and Course Director for the Master of Humanitarian Assistance.
Professor Matthew Clarke is Head of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Deakin University, Australia. He has more than two decades experience working in the development sector.
Sophie Perreard is Lecturer in Humanitarian Assistance. She works at the Centre for Humanitarian Leadership at Deakin University and has over 13 years of experience in the humanitarian sector.
Who developed the course?
Deakin University
Deakin University is one of Australia’s largest universities with more than 61,000 students and over 15,000 online.
Established
1974Location
Melbourne, AustraliaWorld ranking
Top 280Source: QS World University Rankings 2021
Endorsers and supporters
endorsed by
Learning on FutureLearn
Your learning, your rules
- Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
- Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
- Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores
Join a global classroom
- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
- Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
- Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others
Map your progress
- As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
- Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
- Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate
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Advance your career with a degree
Since 2017 you have been able to take a degree on FutureLearn. This free course is a bit like a starter course for a degree — it should give you a flavour of the degree subject but can also be your first step towards a degree qualification.
If you enjoy this course you can apply to join the program it’s part of to start working towards a degree on FutureLearn.
Don’t worry, you can still take the course without doing a full degree!
Get a taste of this course
Find out what this course is like by previewing some of the course steps before you join:
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