E-LEARNING COURSE

Course Syllabus
Making Cities Resilient
Developing Local Disaster Risk
Reduction and Resilience Strategies

14 September – 04 December 2020

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The course Making Cities Resilient: Developing Local Disaster Risk Reduction and
Resilience Strategies

e-Learning Course is implemented by the United Nations Institute for Training

and Research (UNITAR). The contents of the modules are based on the original
materials jointly developed by UNITAR and the United Nations Office for Disaster
Risk Reduction (UNDRR).

www.unitar.org www.undrr.org
Course Background
Over the past 20 years, disasters have affected 4.4 billion people, caused USD 2 trillion of damage, and killed
1.3 million people. Disasters have affected people living in developing countries and, in particular, the most
vulnerable communities within these countries.

Particularly in the context of increased urbanization, urban risk continues to rise. The vulnerability of cities to
disasters is growing especially as poor people settle in high-risk urban areas. Unfortunately, the planning and
development of cities has given little consideration to the consequences of hazards such as earthquakes,
hydro-meteorological risks and others. The implication of this reality is the need for countries to focus on
creating a safer world for urban dwellers and developing a series of innovative approaches to build resilience.

On the basis of these needs, UNITAR, in partnership with UNDRR’s Global Education and Training Institute
(ONEA & GETI) has developed the e-learning course Making Cities Resilient: Developing Local Disaster Risk
Reduction and Resilience Strategies.
Course Goals and Outline

This e-learning course aims to strengthen the capacities of government officials, especially those at the local
level, and disaster management professionals to design and implement plans and programmes that reduce
disaster risk and enhance resilience.

At the end of the course, participants will be able to:

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Analyse the outcome, goal and implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction
2015-2030.

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Raise awareness about the Making Cities Resilient (MRC) Campaign.

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Identify initiatives and best practices on how to integrate disaster risk reduction and climate change
adaptation into urban planning.

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Assess the risk management situation in their cities by using the Disaster Resilience Scorecard for
Cities.

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Develop a safe and resilient country/city action plan.

The course is comprised of 6 modules that will be covered over 12 weeks (14 Sept. – 04 Dec. 2020):

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Module 1: Disaster Risk Reduction Concepts and Introduction to Current Trends in Urban Risk

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Module 2: Implementing the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030

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Module 3: Introduction to Making Cities Resilient Campaign and Campaign Tools

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Module 4: Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction into Sectoral Programmes for Socio-Economic
Development (Part 1)

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Module 5: Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction into Sectoral Programmes for Socio-Economic
Development (Part 2)

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Module 6: Developing, Implementing, Monitoring & Evaluating Safe and Resilient Action Plans
Content, Learning
Objectives and Activities
Module Content Learning Objectives Activities

• Definitions and concepts • Define main DRR

concepts
Module 1 • Main drivers explaining • Quiz 1
disaster risk trends • Describe current disaster
Disaster Risk Reduction risk trends • Forum: Disaster Risk
Concepts and • Major Approaches, Tools Reduction Concepts and
Introduction to Trends and Methods Disaster • Describe the relation Introduction to Trends
in Urban Risk and Risk Risk Reduction between Disaster in Urban Risk and Risk
Reduction Risk Reduction (DRR) Reduction
• Trends in Urban Risk and and Climate Change
Risk Reduction Adaption (CCA)

• Sendai Framework for • Identify the purpose,

Module 2 Disaster Risk Reduction expected outcome and • Quiz 2
2015-2030 goals of the Sendai
Implementing the Sendai Framework for DRR • Forum: Implementing the
Framework for Disaster • 4 Priorities for Action 2015-2030 Sendai Framework for
Risk Reduction (2015- Disaster Risk Reduction
2030) • Challenges in • Evaluate the four (2015-2030)
implementation priorities for action

Live session: Trends in Disaster Risk Reduction and the health aspects of the Sendai Framework.
Reflection on COVID-19 pandemic (25 September, 14h00 Bangkok, 16:00 Korean Time)

• Describe the campaign

• Making Cities Resilient objectives
campaign • Outline the 10-point • Quiz 3
Module 3
• 10 Essentials for Making checklist for making
cities resilient • Forum: Making Cities
Making Cities Resilient Cities Resilient Resilient (MCR)
(MCR) Campaign and • Explain the campaign Campaign and Campaign
Campaign Tools • Engagement
and participation tools Tools
mechanisms • Point out the benefits of
joining this campaign

Live session: Making Cities Resilience Campaign and Campaign Tools

(23 October, 14h00 Bangkok, 16:00 Korean Time )

• Indicate the linkages

• Major environment
issues in recovery
Module 4
• Key governance issues
in recovery
Mainstreaming DRR into
• Analyse if the practices
Sectoral Programmes • Housing and site
for Socio-Economic selection
Development (Part 1)
• Funding infrastructure
construction • Propose recovery
between disaster
reduction and sectoral
programs for socio-
economic development
(Environment,
Governance, Housing, • Quiz 4 (Part 1)
and Infrastructure)
• Forum: Mainstreaming
DRR into Sectoral
Programmes for Socio-
from the case studies
Economic Development
are applicable to your
(Part 1)
context
initiatives having in
mind the experiences
and lessons mentioned
throughout the module
 Module Content
• Sources of Financing
Post-Disaster
• Livelihood assets
• Cash and materials
assistance
Module 5 • Impacts of Disasters on
the Health Sector
Mainstreaming DRR into
Sectoral Programmes • Medicines and
for Socio-Economic technology
Development (Part 2) • Climate Change in
Recovery
• Key Components of Land
Use Planning
• 10 Steps in Land-use
Planning Process
Live session: Developing Local Disaster Risk Reduction Strategies (13 November,
14h00 Bangkok, 16:00 Korean Time)
Group Work: Local DRR Strategy (27 November, 14h00 Bangkok, 16:00 Korean Time)
• Disaster Resilience
Scorecard for Cities
• Disaster Resilience
Scorecard for Cities
Module 6 • Key elements of
developing a local
Developing, disaster risk reduction
Implementing, Monitoring strategy
& Evaluating Local
Disaster Risk Reduction • The characteristics of a
Plans resilient city
• Integrating 10 Essentials
in Cities Planning
Process
• Monitoring vs. Evaluation
• Appy the Disaster
Resilience Scorecard for
Cities in your city context
Final Assessment • Develop a draft local
disaster risk reduction
plan and implementation
strategy
Live Session: Sharing experience and partnership: Case study presentations from participants
(04 December, 14h00 Bangkok, 16:00 Korean Time)
Learning Objectives Activities
• Indicate the linkages
between disaster
reduction and sectoral
programs for socio-
economic development
(Financing Disaster Risk
Reduction, Livelihood, • Quiz 5 (Part 2)
Health, Climate Change
and Land Use Plans); • Forum: Mainstreaming
DRR into Sectoral
• Analyse if the practices Programmes for Socio-
from the case studies Economic Development
are applicable to your (Part 2)
context.
• Propose recovery
initiatives having in
mind the experiences
and lessons mentioned
throughout the module
• Use the MCR Campaign
Tools: Quick Risk
Estimation Tool
• Disaster Resilience
Scorecard for Cities
• Recognize the • Quiz 6
characteristics of a
resilient city • Forum: DRR Assessment
and Analysis
• Describe the purpose of Tools; Developing,
the resilient city action Implementing, Monitoring
plans & Evaluating Local
Disaster Risk Reduction
• Explain in detail the Plans
phases of the action
plans preparation
process
• Distinguish between
monitoring and
evaluation
Applying in a realistic
context the acquired Submit your draft local
knowledge during the DRR strategy
course
Course Design

The modules contain the following components:

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Interactive Lessons: It is the core mandatory learning component as they provide the integral content
of the modules.

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Evaluation quizzes: For each module, a quiz composed of multiple-choice questions will assess your
basic comprehension of the module.

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Discussion Forums: They offer the space to make queries, clarify doubts and share ideas.

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Additional Material: This includes all the modules available in printable format, as well as a glossary of
terms and some complementary resources such as videos.

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Live Sessions: These are sessions with the course experts’ presentations. It is an opportunity for
getting a better understanding of the course learning materials and have answers to your questions.

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Course Evaluation: This is where we invite you to tell us your opinion about the course, providing us
with valuable feedback on the learning experience. Opinions and inputs will help UNITAR improve the
quality of the course.

Learning Materials

Learning materials are the core learning components in the course. They guide you to achieve the course’s
learning objectives. Supporting materials are also available to assist your learning process.

1. Interactive lessons

They introduce you to the conceptual foundations of the different modules in an interactive manner. The
lessons will help you to prepare and pass the quizzes at the end of the module as well as to complete the final
assessment.

All lessons in the course are flash based. They introduce the contents and include interactive exercises that
give you an opportunity to self-asses your knowledge. These exercises may be repeated freely. Results are not
measured; they do not count towards the final grade.

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Each lesson may have an average between 40-50 slides, including the interactive exercises.

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You may interrupt a lesson at any point. The system keeps track of your position. Upon your return it
automatically takes you to the point where you have previously stopped.

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A printable version of the lessons is also available.
2. Discussion Forums

In each module, you can access user-friendly forums to share questions on the course content and share your
experiences. You are also more than welcome to initiate new discussion topics and participate in ongoing ones.
All forums will be moderated by an expert on disaster risk reduction.

Assessment Activities
The following activities will be graded and will account towards your final grade. More information can be found
on the Assessment Guide.

1. Evaluation Quizzes
Six mandatory quizzes, corresponding to each one of the modules of the course, aim at evaluating your
comprehension of the course content. Each quiz contains 10-12 questions that can be multiple choice, true or
false, matching, etc.

You can attempt each evaluation quiz twice. You will be provided with further online explanations when the quiz
opens.

2. Discussion Forums
Participation in the discussion forums will also be graded, and you are highly encouraged to take part in this
activity. By participating in these forums, you gain a unique opportunity to enhance your knowledge of the
specific subjects discussed and to share views and ideas with other course participants.

3. Final Assessment: Developing a Local Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy

The Local Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy is intended to appraise your capacity to apply the knowledge
acquired during the course to real world situations.

To complete this activity, participants should download and complete the Local Disaster Risk Reduction Plan
Template, available on the course homepage.

Study Plan
Over the duration of the course (14 September – 04 December), your workload is estimated to be about 3-4
hours per week.

The course has been designed in a way to give you flexibility to plan your learning progress. The lessons,
activities, and additional resources of all modules can be accessed throughout the course. Thus, you will
only need to complete all the required activities before the end of the course.

However, Local DRR Strategy will have to be delivered before Friday 04 December 2020.
Completion Requirements
The completion of the following assessment activities is absolutely mandatory:

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Six Evaluation Quizzes,

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Final Assessment: Local DRR Strategy

In addition, participating in the discussion forums will give you a grade, and is highly recommended as a
fundamental element of the learning experience and peer-sharing process.

Grading Policy
The above-mentioned mandatory assessment activities will account for the final grade as follows:

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The six quizzes altogether account for 35% of the final grade (5.83% each).

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The participation in the discussion forums and live sessions account for 15% of the final grade.

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The final assessment results account for 50% of the final grade.

Successful completion of the course, entitling to a certificate of completion, requires participants to achieve a
minimum total score of 70%. Participants who will complete all the mandatory activities with a total score below
70% (but above 50%) will receive a certificate of participation.

All marks will be shown in the grade book. The evaluation quizzes will be automatically graded, while the
feedback for participation and final assessment will be provided within two weeks after the closing date.
Expert
Moderator of the Course

Ms. Ana Cristina Thorlund

Programme Officer, UNDRR ONEA and GETI

Ana Cristina Thorlund joined UNDRR in 2005. She is now working at the UNDRR’s
Global Education and Training Institute in South Korea. Prior to this assignment, she
has led the Secretariat of the International Recovery Platform in Kobe, Japan and
served in UNDRR for the parliamentarians and gender initiatives in Geneva. In this
capacity, she has supported the engagement of members of parliament from Asia,
African Europe and Latin America in disaster risk reduction and supported legislative
efforts for the development of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management law of
2013 for EAC and the Latin American Parliament for the Protocol on Disaster Risk
Management. Making disaster risk reduction gender-sensitive has been another
area of her work, in which she contributed to the engagement of CEDAW in disaster
risk reduction and climate change. Ana Cristina holds a master of sciences from
the University of Geneva and postgraduate certificate for the assessment and
management of geological and climate related risk. Originally from Costa Rica, she
is fluent in English, French, and Spanish.

Ana Cristina Thorlund can be contacted at thorlund@un.org