Strengthening Resilience: Disaster Preparedness Strategies for Higher Education Institution

Abstract

India has diverse geography and dense population and highly vulnerable to both natural and man-made disasters, significantly impacting its higher education institutions. This study examines the critical need for disaster preparedness in colleges and universities, which is a house to millions of students and faculty. It identifies key vulnerabilities, such as weak infrastructure, limited disaster education and lack of coordination with local authorities and proposes a framework to enhance resilience. By mapping disaster-prone campuses, strengthening infrastructure, integrating preparedness into curricula and fostering collaboration with communities, universities/colleges can mitigate risks and ensure continuity of education. The study emphasizes actionable recommendations to create safer academic communities capable of recovering from disasters effectively.