The Comprehensive Disaster Risk Management Framework course is the introductory course of the World Bank Institute's web-based learning program in disaster risk management. Successful completion of this course allow participants to enroll in subsequent specialization courses of the program.

The objective of this course is to familiarize development practitioners with contemporary concepts and practices in disaster management and contribute to the paradigm shift from re-active to pro-active approaches in this cross cutting field of development. It also aims at establishing a common language and understanding among development practitioners in order to improve the collaboration among different disciplines and integrate risk reduction considerations in development plans and decisions.

This introductory course of the program addresses basic questions such as “why are disasters a development issue?" and “what are the components of comprehensive disaster risk management?" It also reviews the institutional arrangements and financing mechanisms of disaster management systems, and identifies the role of national and local actors in the processes related to risk assessment, mitigation and financing. This course targets general development practitioners to raise their awareness and sensitivity in prevention of natural disasters. The built-in learning tools of the course give an opportunity to participants to monitor their learning progress.

Many of you may not have experience in taking web-based courses. The course faculty will work with you to ensure that you have all the information, tools and instructions to make online learning a valuable experience. To start with, please spend some time to familiarize yourself with the website, particularly the navigation bar at the top of the page. Please read carefully the program overview and design your learning plan to benefit the most from this course.