Universidade Técnica de Moçambique (UDM) - Maputo, Moçambique

Unit or Programme:
Unidade de Produção e Gestão de Riscos de Desastres (UPGRD)
Expertise:
Environmental Engineering
Unit Director:
Dr Rui Carlos da Maia
Contact details:
Dr Rui Carlos da Maia
Mrs Benedita Penicela Nhambiu
Tel:
(+258) 21 305 176
(+258) 84 726 3996
Email:
damaia.rui59@gmail.com
bpenicela@gmail.com

The UDM’s unit for disaster risk management was formed shortly after it joined Periperi U in 2008, its focus areas including environmental engineering, spatial mapping as well as water and sanitation, and public health in emergencies. UDM was the first Mozambican HEI with active teaching (through short courses and academic programs) in Disaster Management. Main subjects are Environmental Engineering, Mapping vulnerable areas with GIS, Evaluation of policies on DRR, Water, Sanitation in Emergencies, Elements of Public Health in Emergencies.

When joining Periperi U, UDM had already had already developed some capacity in disaster risk reduction, but hosted no courses specifically on disaster risk reduction. Since joining Periperi U, the unit has increased its focus on enhancing disaster risk reduction related research and capacity. In this regard it has partnered with Mozambique’s Disaster Management Authority to provide training materials on responding to disasters for schools, started agricultural outreach projects in water scarce regions, as well as undertaken several research projects for the government, UNDP and the Family Early Warning System Network.

Other initiates by the unit include starting a conservation agriculture and outreach project aimed at helping farmers to farm more effectively in water scarce areas.

   UDM class

Commissioned research

  • Contribution of specific agricultural activities to increase resilience of small-scale farmers in Madagascar, Malawi and Mozambique (2013 – On going) commissioned by FAO/REOSA – North West University
  • Evaluation of livelihood and survival strategies amongst the Zambezi Basin communities (May 2010 – December 2012) commissioned by USAID – FEWS NET
  • Development of a Municipal Plan for Environmental Education (October 2011 – On going) commissioned by Maputo Municipality
  • Humanitarian trends in southern Africa, challenges and opportunities (November 2012 – July 2013) commissioned by RIASCO/Stellenbosch University
  • Study of Mozambique´s legal instruments dealing with climate chang(2011) commissioned by UNHabitat
  • Atlas for the preparation and response to disasters in the Zambezi Valley (March 2011 – June 2014) commissioned by USAID/INGC/UEM/FEWSNET
 moz1   Academic Courses:

The university offers both an undergraduate and postgraduate program in Disaster management;

Short Courses:

UDM offers several custom made short courses each year which have included;

  • Course on Disaster Management for Maputo City secondary school teachers and NGOs staff
  • Cloud Computing – Web 2.0 Tools
  • Urban risks in Maputo (Course for Maputo Municipality staff) Methodology for description of livelihood zones in Calandula Municipality,