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Empey congratulates UU on humanitarian research grant

8 October 2009

The Employment and Learning Minister today congratulated the University of Ulster (UU) on receiving a humanitarian research grant award.

The university’s Geophysics Research Group (UUGeophys), in partnership with Concern Worldwide and British Geological Survey, has been awarded one of only five UK-wide Enhancing Learning and Research for Humanitarian Assistance (ELRHA) grants, aimed at assisting higher education research into disaster relief.

Congratulating the university on the award, which is part-funded by the Department for Employment and Learning through the ELRHA project, Sir Reg Empey said: “This grant award serves to highlight the important role that our higher education institutions play in providing specialist skills and knowledge to those areas which have been affected by disaster.  It is through such knowledge transfer that the University of Ulster is making a significant contribution to international response to disaster relief.

“Events over the past few days in Indonesia and Sumatra highlight the ongoing need for work of this type to continue.  It is only through research and understanding that we can try to minimise the risk of such catastrophic disasters happening in the future.”

The ELRHA project was established in January 2009 and acts as an interface between the Humanitarian sector and UK Higher Education Institutions, with the aim of supporting innovative teaching and research that is tailored towards the needs of international disasters such as the Asian Tsunami of 2004 and the South Asian Earthquake of 2005.

The project aims to help develop generic mechanisms which will inform how collaborations between the humanitarian and scientific communities can more effectively contribute to better humanitarian response and disaster risk reduction policies and practices. The grant will give the university the opportunity to stake a claim to international leadership in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR).

The Minister concluded: “The work being carried out at the University of Ulster is an outstanding example of collaboration between the Humanitarian and Higher Education sectors and of the real impact that research and teaching can have on people’s lives.”

Notes to editors:

  1. The Enhancing Learning and Research for Humanitarian Assistance (ELRHA) project is hosted by Save the Children and managed by an independent steering committee representing the humanitarian and Higher Education communities. For more visit www.elrha.org external link  
  2. The University of Ulster is represented on the project by Professor John McCloskey, School of Environmental Sciences, Coleraine Campus.
  3. UUGeophys has worked on the tsunami threat facing western Sumatra, both in terms of science and in terms of the levels of risk perception and of community preparedness and has developed a working relationship with KOGAMI, a local non-governmental organization (NGO) operating in the tsunami-threatened coastal city of Padang. KOGAMI is responsible for initiating and coordinating mitigation and preparedness activities in Padang and throughout the coastal province of Sumatra.
  4. All media queries should be directed to the Department for Employment and Learning Communications Branch on 028 9025 7872. Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.