Inhaltspezifische Aktionen

Teaching Project: Building Bridges on Rising Waters: Climate Change and International Disaster Management

Context and Objective of the Project:

The accelerating changes in the global climate are linked to a rise in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events and natural disasters, such as floods, droughts, and even earthquakes. These challenges transcend national borders, pose serious risks to societies, and give rise to new socio-political, economic, legal, and technological questions, as well as pressing transformation needs, necessitating a re-evaluation of disaster risk management strategies. Given the relevance and interdisciplinary significance of this topic, this project created a lecture, which offers interdisciplinary perspectives on disaster risk (reduction) management. By following an inverted classroom approach, the project offers a distinctive teaching format. Thereby, the project promotes not only an interdisciplinary learning approach but also fosters exchange and cooperation among participating international students and lecturers.

  
 

Acknowledgements:
The project is generously funded by the EUPeace Fund.
 

Course Description:

The lecture is structured into three thematic blocs, aligned with the disaster risk cycle. In the first bloc “(Natural) Hazards, risks and disasters”, students learn more about the governance of risks and the development of disasters. This bloc focuses on water-related risks in general, climate change scenarios and the political, economic and legal understanding of risks and disasters. In the second bloc “Prevention, mitigation and preparedness”, climate challenges are analysed from economic and engineering perspectives. This bloc highlights (green) financial policies and seismic risk prevention. In the third bloc “Response and recovery”, several disaster case studies are discussed and the impacts of disasters on food systems, pro-social preferences and community resilience are examined. The lecture combines sessions from the following disciplines: Political Science, Economics, Geography, Engineering, Law.

  • Study Period: 13/10/2025 - 13/02/2026
  • Mode and Time: Asynchronous (recorded lectures)
  • Online Tool for Teaching: stud.IP, ILIAS, BigBlueButton
  • Language of Instruction: English (prerequisites: English B2)
  • Examination Format: n.a. - no examination
  • ECTS without examination: 3 ECTS
  

Lecture Plan

Application process and further information

The lecture is integrated in the Virtual International Programme (VIP) of JLU, the Virtual European Exchange Programme (VEEP) and the EUPeace European Track Certification Programme. 

  

VIP/VEEP: Application is closed.

  

 

Project coordination and involved JLU lecturers:

  

Partner institutions and involved lecturers:

Prof. Dr. Helmut Breitmeier (L2, L8)
Main project coordinator
Professor for International Relations
Department of Political Science (FB03)

Katrin Strobehn (L2, L8)
Administrative project coordinator
Research Assistant and Doctoral Candidate at ZEU

 

Justus Liebig University (JLU) | Germany
Cooperating departments: Political Science, Sociology

  

Philipps University Marburg (UMR) | Germany
Cooperating departments: Geography; Economics

University of Limoges (UNILIM) | France
Cooperating departments: Law and Economics; Water Engineering and Environment

University of Calabria (UNICAL) | Italy
Cooperating departments: Environmental Engineering Department

Further information

  

You can find further information about the project and about EUPeace on the following homepages:

You can access the course on stud.IP with the following link: