Research Institute for the Built & Human Environment Creating an effective higher education partnership between Europe and Asia in the Built Environment through the use modern distance learning technologies Kaushal Keraminiyage, Dr Dilanthi Amaratunga, Dr Richard Haigh ECE conference 2007

Research Institute for the Built & Human Environment Layout Background The EUARSIA project The scope of the study Curriculum development framework Current status

Research Institute for the Built & Human Environment Background Disasters can occur at any time in anywhere around the world. But, low-income developing countries –Face high levels of disaster risk and they experience higher levels of mortality (RICS, 2006). –Often fail to launch successful long term disaster recovery programmes due to lack of financial and intellectual resources.

Research Institute for the Built & Human Environment The Indian Ocean Tsunami and the Case of Sri Lanka Potuvil in Sri Lanka after December 2004 Tsunami

Research Institute for the Built & Human Environment The Indian Ocean Tsunami and the Case of Sri Lanka Kosgoda - in Sri Lanka after December 2004 Tsunami

Research Institute for the Built & Human Environment The Indian Ocean Tsunami and the Case of Sri Lanka This was a hotel in Potuvil Sri Lanka Before the December 2004 Tsunami

Research Institute for the Built & Human Environment The Indian Ocean Tsunami and the Case of Sri Lanka Preparedness, Relief and Recovery –Lack of awareness is one of the major reasons behind the mammoth death toll (Karim, 2005) –Availability and utilization of short term financial and humanitarian aids for immediate relief –Poor response capacities of local institutions (specifically commercial and infrastructure related) has been identified as a reason behind unsuccessful post-Tsunami recovery activities.

Research Institute for the Built & Human Environment The Indian Ocean Tsunami and the Case of Sri Lanka The role of higher education institutions to address the need of enhancing the response capacities –Local and Global Knowledge –Post Tsunami Sri Lanka as a case to enhance the global knowledge

Research Institute for the Built & Human Environment The EUARSIA project An international research collaboration –3 European higher education institutions (Salford leading) –2 Asian (Sri Lankan) higher education institutions –Funded under the ASIALINK programme To enhance the capacities of the higher education institutions (local and global) for training, teaching and research activities required for the creation and long-term management of public and commercial facilities and infrastructure.

Research Institute for the Built & Human Environment Scope of this study Development of a curriculum on the creation and long term management of public and commercial facilities and elements of infrastructure

Research Institute for the Built & Human Environment Curriculum development framework Issues and characteristics of joint curriculum development Literature review Outcome would be generic Flexibility issues Request partners to submit related curricular details (e.g. module specifications) to a central database based on the identified curriculum strengths and gaps of each partner Investigation of issues and methodologies related to curriculum development Investigate the characteristics (e.g. module contents) of existing facilities and infrastructure management curricular within European and Asian partner institutions and identify gaps Development of the module base Literature review Discussions with partners Partners submit modules to a central database Use of the Virtual Environment for Built Environment Research (VEBER) –

Research Institute for the Built & Human Environment Curriculum development framework Evaluate the standards / pre-requisites / skills demands of the submitted curriculum details (modules) Build the module base and the structure for the proposed joint curricular The Joint Curriculum Standardizing the module base Module Compatibility Framework Skills and requirements Audit Curriculum customisation Options to select different modules form the module base Ability to customise the curricular for individual needs Self skills / requirements assessment for partners on module basis Customised curriculum to suit individual skills and requirements

Research Institute for the Built & Human Environment Curriculum development framework Current status –Module collection is completed (more than 20 modules) –Module compatibility evaluations and skills audits being carried out

Research Institute for the Built & Human Environment Acknowledgement The authors wish to acknowledge that the EURASIA project is funded by the European Commission under the Asia – Link program. This paper has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The contents of this paper are the sole responsibility of EURASIA and can under no circumstances be regarded as representing the status of the European Commission

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