Supported by: International Institute for Disaster Research (IDR)

The core mission of the International Institute for Disaster Research (IDR) primarily revolves around conducting rigorous scientific research in the field of disaster studies. This extensive research work is systematically carried out within the Institute, which serves as the hub for these endeavours. The Institute’s headquarters, where all these research activities are coordinated, are located at the specified address.

Admitting researchers is a deliberate endeavour aimed at assembling and nurturing a dynamic team of young, dedicated, and ambitious research associates. This team is envisioned to actively engage in a wide spectrum of activities, including the authorship of both national and international projects, their meticulous execution, rigorous scientific research, and the publication of scholarly papers and monographs within the realm of disaster studies.

Disaster Research (IDR) has been dedicated to fulfilling its mission through a dual approach, focusing on publishing activities and the enrichment of the theoretical knowledge base within the field of disaster risk management.

This commitment to publishing encompasses a diverse range of activities, including the production of research papers, comprehensive reports, informative articles, and scholarly books. Through these publications, the IDR aims to share insights, findings, and best practices that can contribute to a more informed and prepared global community.

The main activity of the International Institute for Disaster Research is scientific research work in the field of disaster studies, and it is performed at the Institute whose headquarters are at the mentioned address.

The research activity of the Institute is realized through basic, applied, and developmental scientific research in the field of the scientific discipline of disaster risk management. It has several departments:

• Department for research of phenomenology, endangerment, and resilience to disasters;
• Department for Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation Research;
• Department for Disaster Protection and Rescue Research;
• Department for Disaster Recovery Research; 
• Disaster Risk Management Department;
• Department for Research on International Cooperation and the Legal Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Admitting Young and other researchers aims to gather and form a team of young, professional, and ambitious research associates who will participate in writing national and international projects, their implementation, conducting scientific research and publishing scientific papers and monographs in the field of disaster studies.

The goal of accepting young researchers is aimed at gathering and forming a team of young, professional and ambitious research associates who will participate in writing national and international projects, their realization, conducting scientific research and publishing scientific papers and monographs in the field of disaster studies.

Please note that the financing of young researchers depends on the project activities in which they will participate and includes initial volunteer work during the acquisition of scientific research activities until the approval of the first scientific research project. In addition, researchers would acquire practical knowledge and skills that could be their advantage in further training and employment. After obtaining financial resources, it is planned to refer young researchers to appropriate training with the aim of acquiring scientific and professional qualifications. Also, the network of mentors or experienced professors who will be involved in the work of young researchers will enable the transfer of knowledge and invaluable experience of importance for their further scientific and research work.

The scientific activity of the Institute is carried out in accordance with the Law on Scientific and Research Activity of Serbia and the established and adopted program orientation of the work. The basic activity of the Institute is achieved through basic, applied and developmental scientific research in the field of the scientific discipline of disaster risk management, which has as its subject of study (Statute, 2020): 

1) the etiology of endangering people’s safety by the risks of disasters caused by natural or anthropogenic factors (natural disasters – lithospheric, hydrospheric, atmospheric, biospheric and extraterrestrial; technical-technological – nuclear and radiological, industrial, transport, infrastructural, caused by dangerous substances, war destruction and terrorist attacks); 

2) methodological issues in the field of disaster risk management (theory of disasters, research methods – quantitative and qualitative research tradition in the field of disasters, theoretical frameworks of disaster research – theories of preparedness, vulnerability, resilience, complex systems, planned behavior, urgent norms, decision-making, symbolic interactionism, etc.; paradigms in disaster research: engineering, behavior, development and complexity; 

3) phenomenology of disasters and hazards (conceptual definitions and characteristics; nature and characteristics of hazards – physical characteristics: international scales of hazard intensity, frequency and duration; classification of hazards and disasters direct and indirect consequences of disasters, current issues and problems related to tendencies, myths and other ethical issues in the field of disasters;

4) disaster vulnerability and resilience (conceptual issues and characteristics; different perspectives and dimensions – individual, physical, environmental and economic vulnerability of critical infrastructure); measurement methods and vulnerability indicators; dimensions of resilience – citizens, households and local communities, engineering, institutional and environmental resilience of organizations; global and local disaster resilience indicators; resistance components; 

5) integrated disaster risk management (definition of risk and uncertainty; sources of disaster risk; types of risk; impact of risk; definition of probability; concept, function and objectives of risk management; identifying the context, identifying hazards, assessing the risk of hazards, sorting hazards, analysis risks of individual hazards, grouping and prioritization, process and tools of informing the public about risks; risk assessment methods and models; risk assessment methodology; risk mapping; protection and rescue plans; disaster risk management indicators; risk assessment methodology and informing the public about risks);

6) disaster risk prevention and mitigation (definitions; risk mitigation strategies and measures – structural and non-structural risk mitigation; risk mitigation functions – reduction of probability and consequences, avoidance, transfer, acceptance; disaster risk mitigation caused by natural and technical-technological hazards ); 

7) preparedness for responding to disasters (definitions; types and characteristics of preparedness – individual, preparedness of households, local communities and the state; education and training – education in schools and families; factors influencing preparedness; concrete measures of preparedness for natural and technical-technological disasters; disaster planning; disaster equipment and supplies); 

8) responding to disaster risks (planning and measures of responding to risks; organization and responsibilities of intervention and rescue services; specifics and characteristics of responding to disasters; volunteering in disaster conditions; international standards when responding; media and disaster reporting; 

9) recovery from disaster (concept and stages of disaster recovery – relief, restoration and reconstruction; restoration, rehabilitation and redevelopment; dimensions and challenges of disaster recovery – environmental recovery, socio-psychological recovery, restoration of services, recovery of critical infrastructure; disaster recovery planning – short-term, long-term and principles; complexities of recovery and donations; waste management; post-disaster challenges and prospects; recovery models); 

10) information systems and disaster risk management (disaster risk databases – international and national databases; Copernicus risk management service; advanced fire information system; satellite remote reading; smart disaster response system; Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC); geographic information systems and risk reduction, etc.; 

11) international cooperation in the field of disaster risk reduction (institutional and legal bases of international cooperation; international and regional organizations that are important for risk reduction; international cooperation in practice) and k) legal frameworks for disaster risk reduction (international legal frameworks for risk reduction – Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, Hyogo Framework for Action, International Strategy for Risk Reduction, Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Initiative and Geneva Conventions; national legal framework).