News Release

New Resilience Centre launched by Cranfield University and the Defence Academy of the UK

Business Announcement

Cranfield University

Cranfield University at Shrivenham, in partnership with the Defence Academy of the UK, has launched its new Resilience Centre which aims to provide co-ordinated management advice and training on risk and security and resilience matters.

The centre has been founded on the extensive defence and security management and technology expertise available at both Cranfield University at Shrivenham and the Defence Academy.

Ivar Hellberg, Executive Director of the Resilience Centre, said: "We're interested in the capacity of governments and businesses to respond to disruptive challenges – whether natural, accidental or deliberate – through the provision of relevant education, training and research into the theory of risk, management and relevant technology."

The Resilience Centre, which has close links with the Disaster Management and Mine Action Centre, is based within the Department of Defence Management and Security Analysis and is able to call on all the technical expertise available to both the university and the Royal Military College of Science, including weapon, explosive, forensic, ballistic, CBRN, avionics, IT and communication technology.

In addition, Cranfield is in the process of developing a common methodology for dealing with disaster recovery throughout the European Union (EU), which includes work on a software platform that refines this methodology and improves contingency and continuity planning both in the public and private sectors.

This expertise and experience has been recognised by the European Commission, which recently awarded research funding for two major crisis and disaster management projects - OASIS and DEMOCRITUS - which involves creating a shared communication and response platform across all 25 EU member states.

Guy Weets, Director General at the European Commission and who has special responsibility for risk management, said: "Natural disasters and industrial accidents don't respect borders. We therefore have to share the same procedures across the EU in order to respond effectively to any disaster. And this applies to new candidate states and all future neighbours."

###

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.