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Education and Training Initiatives for Crisis Management in the European Union: A Web-based Analysis of Available Programs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 March 2014

Pier Luigi Ingrassia*
Affiliation:
CRIMEDIM—Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
Marco Foletti
Affiliation:
CRIMEDIM—Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
Ahmadreza Djalali
Affiliation:
CRIMEDIM—Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
Piercarlo Scarone
Affiliation:
CRIMEDIM—Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
Luca Ragazzoni
Affiliation:
CRIMEDIM—Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
Francesco Della Corte
Affiliation:
CRIMEDIM—Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
Kubilay Kaptan
Affiliation:
Disaster Research Center (AFAM), Istanbul Aydin University, Istanbul, Turkey
Olivera Lupescu
Affiliation:
URGENTA—Clinical Emergency Hospital, Bucharest, Romania
Chris Arculeo
Affiliation:
Hanover Associates, Teddington, London, United Kingdom
Gotz von Arnim
Affiliation:
NHCS—National Health Career School of Management, Hennigsdorf/Berlin, Germany
Tom Friedl
Affiliation:
NHCS—National Health Career School of Management, Hennigsdorf/Berlin, Germany
Michael Ashkenazi
Affiliation:
Bonn International Center for Conversion, Bonn, Germany
Deike Heselmann
Affiliation:
University Clinic Bonn, Department of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, Bonn, Germany
Boris Hreckovski
Affiliation:
CROUMSA—Croatian Urgent Medicine and Surgery Association, Slavonski Brod, Croatia
Amir Khorrram-Manesh
Affiliation:
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine Centre, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg, Sweden
Radko Komadina
Affiliation:
SBC-General and Teaching Hospital Celje, Medical Faculty, Celjie, Slovenia
Kostanze Lechner
Affiliation:
German Aerospace Center (DLR), Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany
Cristina Patru
Affiliation:
Clinical Emergency Hospital, Bucharest, Romania
Frederick M. Burkle Jr.
Affiliation:
Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts USA
Philipp Fisher
Affiliation:
University Clinic Bonn, Department of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, Bonn, Germany
*
Correspondence: Pier Luigi Ingrassia, MD, PhD Università del Piemonte Orientale – CRIMEDIM Via Lanino 1 Via Ferrucci 33 Novara 28100 Italy E-mail pierluigi.ingrassia@med.unipmn.it

Abstract

Introduction

Education and training are key elements of disaster management. Despite national and international educational programs in disaster management, there is no standardized curriculum available to guide the European Union (EU) member states. European- based Disaster Training Curriculum (DITAC), a multiple university-based project financially supported by the EU, is charged with developing a holistic and highly-structured curriculum and courses for responders and crisis managers at a strategic and tactical level. The purpose of this study is to qualitatively assess the prevailing preferences and characteristics of disaster management educational and training initiatives (ETIs) at a postgraduate level that currently exist in the EU countries.

Methods

An Internet-based qualitative search was conducted in 2012 to identify and analyze the current training programs in disaster management. The course characteristics were evaluated for curriculum, teaching methods, modality of delivery, target groups, and funding.

Results

The literature search identified 140 ETIs, the majority (78%) located in United Kingdom, France, and Germany. Master level degrees were the primary certificates granted to graduates. Face-to-face education was the most common teaching method (84%). Approximately 80% of the training initiatives offered multi- and cross-disciplinary disaster management content. A competency-based approach to curriculum content was present in 61% of the programs. Emergency responders at the tactical level were the main target group. Almost all programs were self-funded.

Conclusion

Although ETIs currently exist, they are not broadly available in all 27 EU countries. Also, the curricula do not cover all key elements of disaster management in a standardized and competency-based structure. This study has identified the need to develop a standardized competency-based educational and training program for all European countries that will ensure the practice and policies that meet both the standards of care and the broader expectations for professionalization of the disaster and crisis workforce.

IngrassiaPL, FolettiM, DjalaliA, ScaroneP, RagazzoniL, DellaCorte F, KaptanK, LupescuO, ArculeoC, von ArnimG, FriedlT, AshkenaziM, HeselmannD, HreckovskiB, Khorrram-ManeshA, KomadinaR, LechnerK, PatruC, BurkleFMJr., FisherP. Education and Training Initiatives for Crisis Management in the European Union: A Web-based Analysis of Available Programs. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2014;29(2):1-12.

Type
Original Research
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2014 

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