Safety and Disaster Management

The master's degree programme in Security and Disaster Management places particular emphasis on responsible risk and disaster management, especially the proactive approach that includes hazard anticipation and hazard mitigation. Modules combine technical, natural, social and economic sciences, which form the basis of the Security and Disaster Management program. Based on the idea that risks cannot be managed by a single discipline, interdisciplinary orientation, teamwork, and communication are emphasized through special seminars and training. The diversity of different scientific doctrines and methods are taken into account as well as the connection between research and practice.

The objective of the Master's programme Safety and Disaster Management at the University of Leoben is the acquisition of subject-specific and interdisciplinary qualifications for preliminary scientific education and professional qualification.

Graduates of the Master's programme Safety and Disaster Management acquire the following qualifications:

• Communicative and interdisciplinary competencies
  Graduates will be able to design internal and external communication processes in risk and crisis, collect and integrate different forms of knowledge in a participatory manner, and design and moderate interdisciplinary collaboration in risk and mission management.
   
• Methodological competencies
  Graduates are proficient in the application of qualitative and quantitative methods of risk management, e.g., they can interpret statistical data, independently plan and analyse statistical experiments, and interpret warnings. They can use these fundamentals to anticipate risks and solve problems effectively.
   
• Specific hazard and safety knowledge
  Graduates have specific knowledge related to natural hazards, climate change, CBRN Hazards, process and plant safety, occupational health and safety and critical infrastructure protection.
   
• Regulations, management and leadership
  Graduates are familiar with legally relevant national and international regulations and management tools. They critically reflect on the significance and impact of their own actions in challenging situations.
   

Possible occupational fields

In accordance with the possible professional fields, the study program is designed to prepare students for the activities of risk and disaster management, in private and public institutions, in national and international companies and organizations. Graduates are prepared for operational and especially strategic tasks involving the anticipation of risks, the development of preventive measures and crisis management, including communication.

In large corporations, they assume specific staff positions for security and risk management, while in smaller companies they competently assist the management in these matters. In the regulatory environment, risk and disaster managers take on the management of specific departments and units at national or international level.