A new way of training those working in disaster management is
being forged by the partnership with Coventry University's Serious
Games Institute and Centre for Disaster Management and Texas A
& M University (TEEX), the oldest public university in
Texas.
The Vice Chancellor of Coventry University and the Director of
TEEX will sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) next week (7
December) to use their existing UK/US links to work on joint
projects in relation to emergency rescue and disaster management.
The work will include:
Developing and using serious games technology for teaching and
learning purposes
Developing personal/professional degree programmes between both
institutions Establishing a centre to bring these together
The work will be supported by accredited University courses and
international partnerships with other institutions.
Both Coventry University and Texas A&M University have an
impressive track record in their respective fields and will build
on the expertise already existing at both institutions.
Texas A&M ranks among the top 20 research universities in
the US and is recognised worldwide for developing problem-solving
research breakthroughs.
Coventry University's Centre for Disaster Management is
recognised internationally as a centre of excellence and with the
University's expertise in serious games technology at the Serious
Games Institute, the combined resources will make training more
flexible between the two universities and help to develop new
research and teaching collaboration opportunities as well as
student and staff exchange programmes.
Professor Sara de Freitas, Director of Research from Coventry
University's Serious Games Institute said:
"This partnership will help us to develop a consortium of higher
education establishments that support rescue response and disaster
management processes across the world. The main objective is to
save lives, which is an important part of the 'Save the World'
programme from the Serious Games Institute.
"The joint working will help us to cement a sustainable
relationship with US Higher Education Institutions and enhance our
research into best practices of emergency training and serious
games development."
For more information about Coventry University, please visit
their website here: www.coventry.ac.uk