23 June 2026, by Janis-Marie Paul

Photo: Marten Borchers/UHH

How can societies become better prepared for crises? What role do research, technology, and education play in strengthening resilience and disaster preparedness? These questions were at the center of the “Resilience and Disaster Preparedness” workshop organized by the European University Alliance EUGLOH at UiT The Arctic University of Norway in Tromsø.

Representing the Hub of Computing and Data Science (HCDS) and the RESCUE-MATE project, HCDS researcher Marten Borchers participated in the international workshop and exchanged perspectives with experts from across Europe on current challenges in crisis management, disaster preparedness, and societal resilience.

While Norway’s key focus areas include avalanche risks, energy security, and Arctic sea monitoring, the RESCUE-MATE project primarily addresses flood and storm surge scenarios. Despite these different application domains, the workshop highlighted that many challenges are shared across hazard types and regions.

Participants discussed several approaches to strengthening resilience, including the development of technological solutions for risk mitigation and emergency response, regulatory frameworks, and public education. Effective disaster preparedness requires not only robust technical systems but also informed citizens who understand risks and know how to respond appropriately during emergencies.

Another important topic was the growing interdependence of modern infrastructures. Today's societies rely on highly connected technical systems, where disruptions can trigger cascading effects that impact entire cities, regions, or critical services. Preparing for such complex and sometimes unpredictable scenarios remains a major challenge for both researchers and practitioners.

For the RESCUE-MATE project, the workshop provided valuable insights into international approaches to resilience research and disaster preparedness. The experiences and perspectives shared during the event will contribute to the ongoing work of RESCUE-MATE as well as future research activities at HCDS and the University of Hamburg.

We would like to thank EUGLOH and UiT The Arctic University of Norway for organizing this inspiring event and for creating an excellent platform for international exchange and collaboration.

Further information:
• RESCUE-MATE Project
• EUGLOH – European University Alliance - Co -Creation workshop