Key facts
Start date: 2 to 6 March 2026
Cost: Full week: $1500 +GST. Per day: $400 +GST
Duration: 5 days
Delivery mode: In person
Location:
Massey University
Wellington campus
Wallace Street
Mt Cook
Wellington
New Zealand
Overview
This short course will explain how organisations can prepare for, respond to, and recover from a disaster. The course will begin with an introduction and review of Aotearoa New Zealand and international research and practice. The topics will then be explored through a series of relevant case studies. The final session of each module will provide practical tools and guidance for turning the theory to practice.
Who this course is for
This course is designed for those involved in all aspects of emergency management:
- planners
- educators
- engineers
- local and central government policy makers
- insurance managers
- researchers
- emergency managers
- utility and property owners.
The institute will also be part of the Massey course 130706 Emergency Management in Practice. If you are enrolled in the Massey course you will automatically be enrolled for the institute, at no additional cost. However, you do not need to be enrolled in the course to attend the institute.
Course content and structure
Day 1: Emergency Planning and Coordination
This day will explore emergency management planning processes and key concepts as applied in Aotearoa New Zealand. Covers planning at CDEM Group, community, and organisational levels, using recent events to examine coordination and strategic approaches..
Day 2: Mana Whenua and Māori Community Roles in Disasters
The day will be hosted at a local marae, exploring Māori attributes including knowledge, values, and practices in disaster contexts. Draws on past experiences of iwi, hapū, and marae to support understanding of culturally grounded disaster response.
Day 3: Warning Systems for Hazard Events
This day will examine public warning systems for hazards such as weather, flooding, and tsunami. Focuses on co-development and participatory approaches to science communication, international examples of effective systems, and the role of communities in maintaining them.
Day 4: Wellbeing and Resilience in Disasters
Drawing on recent research, this day will provide a framework for enhancing wellbeing in disaster contexts. Covers public education, community engagement, and resilience initiatives in New Zealand and overseas, with attention to monitoring and evaluation strategies.
Day 5: Hazard Landscapes and Mitigation Strategies
This day will undertake an excursion exploring emergency management planning, land-use planning, and mitigation options in the Wellington and Hutt Valley regions. Includes visits to tsunami zones, fault lines, and the National Geohazards Monitoring Centre (NGMC), with discussion of community-based preparedness.
Meet your facilitators
This course is run by the Joint Centre for Disaster Research.
Registrations
Please register for the course before you pay.
There are 3 options to pay for the course.
Online banking
You can deposit your fees directly into the Massey University bank account:
Account name – Massey University
Account number – 02-0630-0016592-000
To make sure we process your payment quickly, complete your details in this way:
- Particulars: <enter your name> for example, 'John Smith'
- Code: <enter your student ID> for example, '12345678'
- Reference: <please use EMSUM>
Contact information
For enquiries please contact Lisa Schollum at L.Schollum1@massey.ac.nz