MANAGING SECURITY RISK IN NATURAL DISASTERS

CURRICULUM

 

Basic Info

Name of the study program: Managing Security Risk in Natural Disasters
Level of study: Master Academic Studies
ECTS: 60
Link to certificate and documentation related to the study program: link
Number of new subjects: 6
Number of updated (modernized) subjects: 1
Name of accredited institution (faculty, department): University of Criminal Investigation and Policy Studies
Number of students enrolled: 16
Number of graduates: 0

 

Institutional language policy

The courses within this study programme are taught in Serbian language.

For all additional information on the courses or a study programme please contact the Erasmus institutional coordinator, Professor Saša Mijalković, PhD, the Vice-Rector for International and Institutional Cooperation, at e-mail: sasa.mijalkovic@kpu.edu.rs.

All information on the teachers who are in charge of the courses of this study programme are available in the following document: TEACHING STAFF.

 

Purpose of the Curriculum

Managing security risks in natural disasters is an issue with which world public faces ever more and which is dealt with more seriously by specialised government agencies and intergovernmental organisations. In the countries in which they are frequent, natural catastrophes slow down the sustainable development, reduce the quality of life, but also create risks for the development of new threats (poverty, unemployment, crime, grey economy, conflicts, terrorism, etc.). Natural disasters are not everyday events which is why they require out-of-the-ordinary acting. Therefore, routine methods of government institutions, corporal entities, non-governmental sector and citizens are no longer enough in the conditions of natural catastrophes. These entities must gain specialised knowledge and skills of researching natural catastrophes, risk assessment, modelling and simulating natural catastrophes, usage of contemporary IT technologies in the management of risks of natural catastrophes, all within the framework national and international legal framework and within the framework of the protection and rescue system. This knowledge and skills are what is offered by the suggested curriculum of master academic studies – Management of Safety Risks of Natural Catastrophes. Therefore, the purpose of this curriculum is acquiring academic knowledge and skills for managing safety risks of natural catastrophes, as well as acquiring the professional title of master of arts – safety manager (“MA safety manager, one academic year)”.

The contents of this curriculum refer to the methodology of scientific research of safety phenomena, risk management, natural catastrophes, protection system in natural catastrophes, modelling and simulating safety risks of natural catastrophes, IT communication technologies in managing safety risks of natural catastrophes and the right of extraordinary situations causes by natural catastrophes. These contents are in accordance with the highest scientific breakthroughs and standards of safety practice in the conditions of natural catastrophes. Master of arts – safety manager is trained to do complex work of police officers and civil servants at the competent state bodies in the Republic of Serbia and at the units of local self-government, in corporal and other legal entities and in non-governmental sector, in contrasting safety risks of natural catastrophes. Master of arts – safety manager can be included into educational process and in scientific research work of home higher education and scientific research institutions (police college, the faculty of safety, the faculties for protection at work and so on). This curriculum offers the possibility for further training – PhD studies.

 

Objectives of Curriculum

The principal aim of the curriculum is training students for applying scientific and professional breakthroughs in problem solving of safety protection, human health protection, material goods and natural values, for the development of the system of managing safety risks of extraordinary situations which occur due to natural catastrophes, as well as for the application of the acquired knowledge.

Special aims of the study program are acquiring the necessary knowledge and skills for:
• the analysis of safety risks and management of extraordinary situations which occur in natural catastrophes;
• the analysis of cause-and-effect relationship and problem solving of safety risks, health protection of human health, environment and material goods in natural catastrophes;
• the development of the research methodology and management methods of safety risks of natural catastrophes;
• the development of strategies, projecting and safety system management in risk assessment, preparation, answer and recovery from natural catastrophes;
• innovative actions and team work in managing extraordinary situations that occurred due to natural catastrophes;
• permanent education and system development of knowledge in the field of managing safety risks in the conditions of natural catastrophes.

 

Competences of Graduated Students

A student who passes all the exams determined by the curriculum of undergraduate academic studies earns higher education and the academic title of master of arts – safety manager (MA safety manager), thereby acquiring the competencies for: applying basic knowledge on harmful effects of natural dangers and catastrophes; assessment of the risk of natural catastrophes and other safety risks in the conditions of natural catastrophes; understanding the complex of prevention measures of safety risks of natural catastrophes, as well as component planning of economic and social development; drafting the documents on assessing the vulnerability and the plans for protection and rescuing; optimisation, managing and co-ordinating of the available resources of the headquarters for emergency situations; investigating the cause and the events and determining facts, responsibilities and criminal acts in the natural catastrophes that occurred; applying specific knowledge in psychology and extreme situations; reporting on the state of safety in natural catastrophes; informing and communicating with the public; assessment and prognosis on the consequences of safety risks of natural catastrophes based on contemporary IT technologies; assessment and prognosis of the state and the change of safety risks of the environment by applying the modelling and simulating; the development of the metrics and methods for the assessment of the effectiveness and efficiency of the management system in natural catastrophes; knowing and applying legal framework of the European Union and the Republic of Serbia in the field of managing risks of natural catastrophes.

The projected outcome of the learning process are: more effective and more efficient risk management of natural catastrophes; more favourable state of safety of natural catastrophes and the conditions of natural catastrophes as well; more proper safety culture, organisational culture and organisational behaviour in connection with the risk of natural catastrophes; more proper standardisation in the field of risk management of natural catastrophes; higher effect in the prevention and reaction to the risks of natural catastrophes, as a consequence of a higher level of performance, competence and co-operation of the subjects of protection and rescuing; more proper legal framework of risk management of natural catastrophes.

 

Student Enrolment

The prerequisites candidates applying for the enrolment of master studies should meet are determined by the Rulebook on Studies for Master Studies of the University of Criminal Investigation and Police Studies.

Students are accepted to the studies based on the call announced by the University. The call contains: number of students being accepted, enrolment prerequisites, thecriteria for determining the order of candidates, the procedure for implementing the call, ways and deadlines for submitting a complaint for the determined order as well as the amount of tuition fee. The Enrolment Commission, appointed by the Rector of the University, carries out the Call for Enrolment, determines and announces the order of the accepted candidates.

Students eligible for Master studies are the ones: who have previously achieved the scope of undergraduate studies of at least 240 ECTS in the appropriate field, as well as the candidates who gained their higher education according to the regulations that were effective till the day the Law on Higher Education came into effect by having completed undergraduate studies which last at least eight semesters in the appropriate field of humanities, technical-technological studies, natural sciences or interdisciplinary studies in the field of criminalistics, safety, environmental protection.

Candidates who meet the abovementioned prerequisites and who have completed undergraduate academic studies at another high education institute with a GPA lower than 8.00 take the entrance exam.

 

Entrance exam

The entrance exam consists of the course in Safety in Emergency Situations. Raking, that is, the listing of eligible candidates for enrolment to master academic studies is determined based on:
- GPA at undergraduate studies expressed in points (up to 40 points, that is, GPA at undergraduate studies multiplied by 4) and
- overall score at the entrance exam (up to 60 points).

The candidates who do not take the entrance exam are awarded with the maximum of 60 points at the entrance exam. A complaint can be lodged to the Enrolment Commission to the determined ranking list within three days of the day of its announcement. A candidate ranked within the number of students determined by the call is entitled to enrolment.