Between visits to a refugee camp, the department of civil defence and the Ministry of Public Health in Jordan, students from Georgetown University’s International Executive Master’s in Emergency and Disaster Management (IEDM) programme had time to reflect on the intense planning and inter-institutional co-operation involved in responding to a crisis.
Farukh Azad, a current IEDM student who also works as manager of Digital Transformation at Ooredoo, recently concluded the Amman, Jordan, residency of the programme and recalls: “Through these on-site visits, we learned about the complexities of public health and humanitarian crises from both a local and regional perspective.”
Working professionals from across many sectors in Qatar, including health, human and social services, military, humanitarian aid, emergency response, planning, public policy and all levels of government, should register by May 1 for the IEDM programme, offered by Georgetown’s School of Continuing Studies, according to a press statement. Interested applicants can learn more about the programme and how to register on the website, https://scs.georgetown.edu/iedm.
The  IEDM programme helps the next generation of global leaders prepare for and respond to a wide variety of natural, technological and man-made disasters.
The programme offers a blend of virtual learning and five on-site international residencies that provide critical hands-on experience and engagement opportunities with leading experts in the field across diverse environments.
Students also gain a deeper understanding of the opportunities and constraints to navigating roles, responsibilities and resources across and within international borders. These are critical skills needed as Qatar prepares to host the World Cup and other major global events, and to ensure the resilience of any organisation in the effort to prevent, protect, mitigate and respond to emergencies and disasters.