Program in brief
Cultivates professionals who can educate researchers and take leadership in the planning and implementation of national and international strategy and water-related risk management policy
- Program Director: Professor Naohiko Hibino
- Associate Director: Professor Koji Katayama
- Degree Offered: Ph.D. in Disaster Management
- Scholarship (For International Students Only):
- Language of Instruction: English
- How to Apply
- Time Schedule
- Program duration…3 years
- Enrollment…October
- Graduation…September
- Application…February
- Announcement of Result…July
Water-related disasters are intensifying in frequency and magnitude due to such worldwide phenomena as urbanization, industrialization, and climate change. These disasters cause devastating loss of human life and livelihood, and seriously impede economic development.
It is increasingly evident that capacity development and human empowerment are the necessary foundation to ensure that societies are resilient against disasters and capable of sustainable development. In order to enhance that foundation, it is urgent that countries increase their capacity to train researchers, educators and strategy/policy specialists in risk management.
In the interest of supporting countries in such capacity building, the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) and the International Centre for Water Hazard and Risk Management (ICHARM) of the Public Works Research Institute (PWRI) jointly launched a Ph.D. program in October 2010. The broad aim of the program is to nurture professionals who can train researchers and take leadership in planning and implementation of national and international strategy and water-related risk management policy.
Target Group
Technical officials, engineers, and researchers in the fields of water-related disasters and disaster risk management policy in developing countries.
Program Design
At the end of the first year of the doctoral program, each student is expected to submit a thesis proposal and pass a Qualifying Examination (QE). In order to be eligible for the doctoral dissertation QE, the student must earn a minimum of 8 credits from among the courses offered, not only at GRIPS and ICHARM, but also at the University of Tokyo. In addition, the student’s supervising committee may advise the student to take up to 4 credits from Category III. After passing the QE, the student can begin dissertation work in the second academic year, with the aim of completing it by the end of the third year.
After starting work on her/his dissertation, the student is required to attend a Ph.D./doctoral candidate seminar to report on the research that she/he is planning or already pursuing. At the end of the third year, to complete the doctoral course work, each student is required to present the results of his/her research in a Ph.D./doctoral thesis defense, and demonstrate the validity, relevance, and academic contribution of the findings.
At the present time PWRI is calling for applications for ICHARM Research Assistantship positions. Students employed in these positions will work at ICHARM as ICHARM Research Assistants. This is an excellent opportunity to advance one’s learning and experience the practical work of ICHARM while carrying out one’s own research. Those interested in the assistantship should visit the PWRI website for further information.
Disaster Management Program Curriculum
(as of October 2023)
| Category | Course Title | Instructor |
|---|---|---|
| III Electives | Supply Chain Management for Infrastructure Planners | Inoue |
| Advanced Infrastructure and Regional Development: Lessons from the Past | Ieda | |
| Hydrology | Miyamoto, Koike | |
| Hydraulics | Harada, Egashira | |
| Advanced Disaster Management Policies A: from Regional and Infrastructure Aspect | Hibino | |
| Advanced Disaster Management Policies B: from Urban and Community Aspect | Katayama | |
| Advanced Integrated Flood Management | Takeuchi | |
| Advanced Urban Flood Management and Flood Hazard Mapping | Tanaka | |
| Socio-economic and Environmental Aspects of Advanced Sustainability-oriented Flood Management | Ohara, Sumi | |
| Advanced Flood Hydraulics and River Channel Design | Fukuoka | |
| Advanced Mechanics of Sediment Transportation and River Changes | Egashira | |
| Advanced Hydrometeorology | Koike, Rasmy, Ushiyama | |
| Advanced Hydrodynamics | Yorozuya | |
| International Policies on Water and Disasters | Hiroki | |
| Courses not listed in this table (with the program director’s approval) |
Career Destinations
After completing the program, graduates are expected to hold leadership positions in water-related disaster management.
Origin and Affiliation of Students
Government organizations and research institutions for disaster risk management
Dissertation Topics
-
Challenges of Hydrological Analysis for Water Resources Development in Semi-Arid Mountainous Regions: A Case Study in Iran
-
Vulnerable People and Flood Risk Management Policies
-
Assessment of Climate Change Impact on Hydrology of the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna Basin and Implications for Future Water Resource Management
-
Comparative Assessment of Hydrologic Functions at Large River Basins and Their Responses to Climate Change
-
Risk-Benefit Analyses to Balance Flood Risk, Livelihoods and Ecosystem Services
-
Disaster Preparedness at Household and Community Level: The Case of Cyclone Prone Coastal Bangladesh
-
Numerical Prediction of Channel Changes in Large, Braided Rivers Dominated by Suspended Sediment
-
Development of an Integrated Hydrological Modeling Framework in Mountainous Areas Including Rainfall and Snowfall Quantification Derived from Data Integration
-
Assessment of Selected Strategies to Increase Economic Benefits in Haor Areas in Bangladesh
-
Fundamental Study for 2-D Numerical Simulation of Channel Changes in Large Rivers Dominated by Fine Sediment
-
Developing a Methodology for Integrated Flood Risk Assessment in a Transboundary River Basin Using Multi-Platform Data under Global Change - The Case of the Meghna River Basin
- Numerical Study on Tidal Currents and Bed Morphology in Sittaung River Estuary, Myanmar
- 流域治水の推進に必要な合意形成のための減災対策による被害軽減効果の評価手法の研究
- A Study on Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Strategies for Optimizing Benefits of the Mahaweli River Basin in Sri Lanka
- Integrated Operation of Reservoirs for Maximizing Hydropower and Reducing Flood Risk
- Study on Sediment Runoff and Morphological Changes in the Sangu River Basin, Bangladesh
- A Study on an Integrated Water Resources Management Practice for Sustainable Transboundary River Basin Development: The Case of the Blue Nile Basin
Prominent Alumni
- Mauricio Esteban Reyes Gallardo（Graduated in 2013）
Professor
Ocean Engineering School, Faculty of Engineering, University of Valparaiso, Chile
Interview HERE
- Mr. Zaw Myo Khaing（Graduated in 2014）
Assistant Forecaster
Department of Meteorology and Hydrology, Ministry of Transport
Republic of the Union of Myanmar
Interview HERE
