Overview
This unit provides students with a comprehensive understanding of disaster risk, reduction, and resilience within the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. You will critically analyse these concepts and gain skills in applying the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction principles to community-level activities and initiatives while aligning them with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through this unit, you will learn how to develop appropriate disaster risk reduction strategies at a community level and facilitate collaborative and evidence-based decision-making regarding disaster resilience, preparedness, and hazard mitigation while addressing the interconnected goals of sustainable development. In this unit, you will learn how to reduce disaster risk through sustainable planning, building community partnerships, reducing vulnerability and increasing resilience, with a particular emphasis on risks that impact public health.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Pre-requisites Students enrolled in the CM40 Bachelor of Paramedic Science/Graduate Certificate in Emergency and Disaster Management must have a minimum of 48 credit points to enrol in this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2025
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from SUTE
Provided clear instructions for each assessment.
Continue to provide clear assessment instructions. Continue to discuss assessment requirements at weekly drop-in sessions for students. Record these sessions for students who cannot participate live. Consider different times for conducting these drop-in sessions.
Feedback from SUTE
For the weekly tutorials cover the topics that have been presented and have discussions on the relevance of the information. Concentrate on the subject and less on how to get a good mark
Trial a fortnightly 'tutorial' session, with a focus on the subject content and the associated learning materials. Create an opportunity for students to engage with the subject matter, in a collaborative, non-threatening, way.
- Critically analyse the concepts of disaster risk, disaster risk reduction and disaster resilience
- Apply the principles of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction to community-level activities aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals
- Develop appropriate disaster risk reduction strategies at a community level
- Facilitate collaborative and evidence-based decision-making regarding disaster resilience, preparedness and hazard mitigation.
Not applicable.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 30% | ||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||
| 3 - Presentation - 30% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | ||||
| 2 - Communication | ||||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | ||||
| 4 - Research | ||||
| 5 - Self-management | ||||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | ||||
| 7 - Leadership | ||||
| 8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
s.delport@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Theme One:
- Defining disasters and disaster risk reduction
- The Sendai Framework of Disaster Risk Reduction
- United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Recorded Online Virtual Session: Introduction and Unit Overview
(Wednesday 16 Jul, 12:00 pm to 13:00 pm AEST - QLD time)
Module/Topic
Theme One:
- Defining disasters and disaster risk reduction
- The Sendai Framework of Disaster Risk Reduction
- United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Theme Two:
- Understanding disaster risk
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Virtual Drop-in Session
(Wednesday 30 Jul, 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm AEST - QLD time)
Module/Topic
Theme Two:
- Understanding disaster risk
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Theme Three:
- Managing disaster risk
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Virtual Drop-in Session
(Wednesday 13 Aug, 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm AEST - QLD time)
Community-Based Disaster Risk Assessment Due: Week 5 Friday (15 Aug 2025) 4:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Theme Three:
- Managing disaster risk
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Theme Four:
- Resourcing Disaster Risk Reduction for Resilience
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Virtual Drop-in Session
(Wednesday 3 Sept, 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm AEST - QLD time)
Module/Topic
Theme Four:
- Resourcing Disaster Risk Reduction for Resilience
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Theme Four:
- Resourcing Disaster Risk Reduction for Resilience
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Virtual Drop-in Session
(Wednesday 17 Sept, 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm AEST - QLD time)
Module/Topic
Theme Five:
- Disaster Preparedness for Effective Post-disaster Actions
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Theme Five:
- Disaster Preparedness for Effective Post-disaster Actions
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online Virtual Drop-in Session
(Wednesday 1 Aug, 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm AEST - QLD time)
Module/Topic
Theme Five:
- Disaster Preparedness for Effective Post-disaster Actions
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
Note: Assessment One, Two, and Three are linked.
Assessment Task One asks you to apply the Sendai Framework principles to identify and address disaster risk at a community level. You have been tasked with building a business case for future funding for a community implementation and engagement plan. To do this, you will apply the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction to a specific geographical community (select a physical town, region, or locality). The business case overview/introduction should be 3,000 words (±10% deviation accepted) and must address, at a minimum, the following:
- Provide an overarching explanation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and briefly describe the targets and priorities for action.
- Introduce a specific geographical community that will be the focus of your business case.
- Describe the geography of your community, including a map identifying its location.
- Describe the socio-economic and cultural characteristics of your chosen community.
- Identify and evaluate the hazards that pose a risk to your chosen community, considering both natural and human-induced hazards.
- Analyse the existing vulnerabilities of the community to each identified hazard.
- List, describe, and evaluate existing human capacities and physical resources available within your chosen community that may be used for disaster risk reduction.
Please see the Assessment One Criteria, marking rubric and template on your Moodle page for further information.
This is an individual assessment, and teamwork is not permitted for this assessment.
Level of GenAI use allowed:
Level 2: You may use Al for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas.
Week 5 Friday (15 Aug 2025) 4:00 pm AEST
Submitted as a word document on Moodle
Week 7 Friday (5 Sept 2025)
The assessment criteria for this unit are in the form of a rubric, which is available from the Moodle unit site. Broadly, you will be assessed on:
- Use of the literature
- Knowledge of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction
- Application of knowledge and skills related to emergency and disaster management
- Collaboration between the community and emergency and disaster management
- Communication and presentation.
- Critically analyse the concepts of disaster risk, disaster risk reduction and disaster resilience
- Apply the principles of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction to community-level activities aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals
2 Written Assessment
Based on Assessment Task One, you must identify and develop appropriate disaster risk reduction strategies and propose measures to mitigate or reduce the identified risks tailored to your chosen community. You have been tasked with building a business case for future funding for a community implementation and engagement plan. The second part of this case requires you to prioritise interventions that target the root causes of vulnerability and enhance community resilience. The business case should be 3,000 words (±10% deviation accepted) and address, at a minimum, the following:
- Identify and describe existing disaster risk strategies in your chosen community.
- Propose at least three specific disaster risk reduction strategies for your chosen community, aligning these with the Sendai Framework principles.
- Discuss how these strategies may be implemented at the community level.
- Identify and describe at least three relevant stakeholders, including government, emergency services agencies, and community organisations, that could contribute to your disaster risk reduction strategies.
- Describe how you would engage and utilise these stakeholders in your strategies and the risk reduction process.
Please see the Assessment Two Criteria, marking rubric and template on your Moodle page for further information.
This is an individual assessment, and teamwork is not permitted for this assessment.
Level of GenAI use allowed:
Level 2: You may use Al for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas.
Week 8 Friday (12 Sept 2025) 4:00 pm AEST
Submitted as a word document on Moodle
Week 10 Friday (26 Sept 2025)
The assessment criteria for this unit are in the form of a rubric, which is available from the Moodle unit site. Broadly, you will be assessed on:
- Use of the literature
- Knowledge of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction
- Application of knowledge and skills related to emergency and disaster management
- Collaboration between community and emergency and disaster management
- Communication and presentation.
- Critically analyse the concepts of disaster risk, disaster risk reduction and disaster resilience
- Apply the principles of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction to community-level activities aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals
- Develop appropriate disaster risk reduction strategies at a community level
- Facilitate collaborative and evidence-based decision-making regarding disaster resilience, preparedness and hazard mitigation.
3 Presentation
For Assessment Task Three, you will present your implementation and monitoring plan as part of your business case for the disaster risk reduction strategies discussed in the first two assessments. You will prepare and present a six-minute PowerPoint presentation that includes the following:
1. A summary of your chosen community, including its hazards, vulnerabilities, and existing risk reduction strategies.
2. A description and analysis of three additional strategies, in line with the Sendai Framework, that you suggest would reduce the community’s vulnerability and enhance its resilience.
3. A comprehensive plan for implementing the identified and proposed disaster risk reduction strategies.
4. An outline of the steps and actions required to implement these strategies.
5. Identification of key stakeholders and resources (financial, human, physical) required to implement these strategies.
6. A monitoring plan to evaluate the effectiveness of these strategies.
Submission Instructions:
o Submit as a PowerPoint presentation with embedded audio recording via Moodle.
o Include in-text references and a bibliography.
o Maximum of 12 slides, with the first slide including the title, your name, and student number, and the last slide being a bibliography.
o Upload a PDF of the presentation transcript (including references) to Moodle.
o The audio presentation must not exceed six minutes.
Please see the Assessment Three Criteria, marking rubric and template on your Moodle page for further information.
This is an individual assessment, and teamwork is not permitted for this assessment.
Level of GenAI use allowed:
Level 2: You may use Al for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas.
Week 12 Friday (10 Oct 2025) 4:00 pm AEST
Submitted as a PowerPoint with transcript in Moodle
Exam Week Friday (24 Oct 2025)
The assessment criteria for this unit are in the form of a rubric, which is available from the Moodle unit site. Broadly, you will be assessed on:
- Use of the literature
- Knowledge of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction
- Application of knowledge and skills related to emergency and disaster management
- Collaboration between community and emergency and disaster management
- Communication and presentation
- Develop appropriate disaster risk reduction strategies at a community level
- Facilitate collaborative and evidence-based decision-making regarding disaster resilience, preparedness and hazard mitigation.
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
