The International Science Council (ISC), in partnership with the International Association of Universities (IAU), will host a special webinar on 2 September 2026 to examine the application of the UNDRR–ISC Hazard Information Profiles (HIPS) as a pedagogical resource in higher education.
Designed for educators, curriculum developers, and academic leaders, the session will showcase how the HIPs can be effectively integrated into course design, classroom instruction, student assessments, and applied learning at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
As a structured and scientifically robust reference framework covering 281 hazards, the HIPs offer a credible, unified foundation for teaching hazard identification, impact analysis, and risk reduction strategies. By centralising authoritative data, the profiles reduce the burden on educators to compile disparate sources, while enabling students to engage with consistent, real-world hazard information across multiple contexts.
Who Should Attend?
While open to all, the webinar is specifically tailored for:
Course and curriculum designers
Instructors and programme coordinators
Academic leaders and researchers involved in teaching and supervision
The content will be particularly relevant to disciplines such as disaster risk reduction, geography, environmental studies, resilience planning, sustainability, public policy, development studies, and related natural and social science fields.
Key Learning Outcomes
Participants will gain actionable insights into how the HIPs can:
Enhance teaching on hazards, risk, and risk reduction
Streamline course preparation through ready-to-use, referenced material
Facilitate the design of applied assignments and interactive classroom exercises
Help students connect hazard knowledge to tangible impacts
Support comparative and multi-hazard analysis across different geographic and socio-economic settings
Webinar Details
Date: Wednesday, 2 September 2026
Time: 13:00 UTC
Registration & Programme: https://council.science/events/teaching-hazards-risk-in-higher-education/
About the UNDRR–ISC Hazard Information Profiles (HIPS)
First released in 2021 and recently updated, the HIPs provide standardized definitions and key characteristics for 281 hazards across eight major clusters:
Meteorological and Hydrological
Extraterrestrial
Geological
Environmental
Chemical
Biological
Technological
Societal
The latest update also introduces improved machine-readability, enhancing their utility in digital platforms, early warning systems, and risk assessment tools—making them an even more valuable asset for both research and education.
We encourage IRDR members and partners to register and participate in this timely opportunity to strengthen the nexus between hazard science and higher education pedagogy.
Image credit: Irene Freitas Freitas from Pixabay
