Japan and Indonesia share many features: geography, topography, and frequent natural disasters. Furthermore, both Tohoku, Japan and Aceh, Indonesia have been affected by a mega quake and tsunami. With a mission to pass on disaster lessons, IRIDeS is carrying out academic exchanges with various institutions around the world, including those in Aceh. IRIDeS has academic exchange agreements with the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences and the Tsunami Disaster Management Research Center (TDMRC) of Syiah Kuala University, and also with the Aceh Tsunami Museum.

Since 2005, Syiah Kuala University’s TDMRC has hosted an academic conference called the Aceh International Workshop and Expo on Sustainable Tsunami Disaster Recovery (AIWEST-DR). On November 7 and 8, 2019, IRIDeS hosted the 12^th AIWEST conference at Tohoku University, the first one held outside Indonesia. Keynote lectures were delivered to approx. 100 participants by the president of Syiah Kuala University and by Assoc. Prof. Yoshimi Nishi of Kyoto University, a leading researcher on Aceh. As well as the presentation of academic research papers, more than 70 participants, took part in a disaster education workshop and site visit to the 2011 tsuanmi affected areas. Taking this opportunity, the School of Engineering, Tohoku University and the Faculty of Engineering, Syiah Kuala University concluded a new academic exchange agreements on November 7, which was also supported by IRIDeS.

IRIDeS Director Fumihiko Imamura would like to foster academic exchanges with scholars and experts on DRR in Aceh and other disaster-prone regions and continue international collaborative efforts in disaster research and education.

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For inquiries, please contact IRIDeS PR Office at +81-22-752-2049 or email: koho-office*irides.tohoku.ac.jp
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