Land use planning online course, Philippines

Description
Reactive and response-oriented disaster management proved to be inadequate to cope with natural calamities. The new paradigm focuses disaster management efforts on interventions that reduce the vulnerability of people to hazards. The location of residential areas, industries, critical public facilities and services, and the urban morphology are critical parameters in urban vulnerability. In this analytical context, land use planning is instrumental in addressing the challenges posed by natural hazards on built environment. Through land use planning, vulnerability parameters can be modified to reduce risk and mitigate losses. With its wide array of regulatory and non-regulatory techniques and mechanisms, planning can become an effective tool for disaster risk reduction.

This specialization course presents a general background on trends and experiences in mainstreaming disaster risk reduction objectives in land use and urban planning. The course discusses land use planning options and techniques and the process of integrating disaster mitigation with local land use planning. It illustrates the benefits of this integrated approach using case studies reflecting global and local perspectives.

Course Format
The course consists of self-paced modules, discussion forums, exercises, readings, case studies, tests and learning via interaction with program faculty and peers. Moreover, for each module there are 2 to 3 audio sessions of expert lectures for 40–45 minutes each. The Course materials shall be provided in a CD to each participant.

Course Expectations
Participants are expected to commit 8–10 hours per week (per module) in order to gain the most out of this course in addition to:

• Complete the required reading assignments
• Participate in all online activities. Participation involves posting a minimum of two messages per week that are substantive in nature. The message can be either a new topic or a reply to someone else's message. Participants are encouraged to post more often than twice a week in order to be involved more deeply into topics.
• Complete assignments and end of course project
• Complete course evaluation at the end of the course

Certificate
Joint certificate from NIDM and WBI shall be issued to all successful participants of the course.

Objective
The objective of this specialization course is to demonstrate the benefits of incorporating disaster risk reduction objectives in land use planning, to present the process involved in integrating disaster mitigation with local land use management, and to illustrate the advantages of this integrated approach using actual examples.

Agenda
The course consists of presentations, case studies, readings and an end of course exercise. During the course, instructors and facilitators from National Institute of Disaster Management and the World Bank Institute will guide the participants and evaluate the project work.