The SCOPE-HE Digital Transformation for Natural Hazards (DigiHaz) project is a groundbreaking initiative revolutionizing the approach to natural disasters in the Philippines and Malaysia, directly addressing critical global challenges. It was one of only three projects approved for funding by the European Union's Global Gateway initiative out of 120 global proposals, highlighting its significance in the global effort toward sustainability and climate action.
This project is centrally aligned with several key global frameworks:
- United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs):
○SDG 13: Climate Action: The initiative directly combats the growing threats of climate change by developing innovative digital tools and building research capacity to address the intensifying natural disasters that are a direct consequence of a changing climate.
○SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: By focusing on reducing the substantial damage caused by natural disasters, the project contributes to making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
○SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The project supports this goal by building capacity in developing nations (the Philippines and Malaysia) to tackle a global challenge—natural hazards—which often disproportionately affect the most vulnerable communities, thereby fostering global cooperation and equity in resilience-building.
- Laudato Si' Goals (LSGs):
○"Response to the Cry of the Earth": The project’s focus on mitigating the impact of climate-induced natural disasters is a concrete response to the degradation of the environment and a commitment to ensuring the planet's sustainability.
○"Resilience and Empowerment of Vulnerable Communities": By focusing its efforts on the Philippines and Malaysia, the project targets vulnerable populations often most impacted by natural hazards, providing them with the tools and expertise for greater preparedness and recovery.
○"Ecological Education and Spirituality": The core academic components of the project, including the new PhD program, serve to educate a new generation of experts with advanced digital skills, fostering an informed perspective on ecological challenges and digital solutions.
Spearheaded by the University of Alicante in Spain and co-developed with Greece's University of West Attica, the project aims to build research capacity and create innovative digital tools to combat these threats. A key component is the creation of a new PhD in Digital Transformation for Natural Hazards (PhD in DigiHaz), which will train a new generation of experts with advanced digital skills. This program will be offered at four leading Asian higher education institutions: Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Utara Malaysia, and the University of the Cordilleras.
