An international academic event with a theme of ‘Urban Resilience: Flood Management in Semarang City’ is held between 24 October – 8 November 2016 at Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Diponegoro University Semarang, Indonesia.
Started by a short course at the first week, Micha Fisher from the University of Hawai’i as the main instructor, this short course has 13 participants, consists of 10 students of Master of Urban and Regional Development Program and 3 of Bachelor Degree on Urban and Regional Planning Program. The participants does not only acquire theory and concept, but also hand on experience through filed visit to Kemijen Semarang.
Beside that, at the second week, a joint studio between the students of Master of Urban and Regional Development UNDIP and Master of Urban and Regional Planning, the University of Hawai’i at Manoa to explore the urban resilience particularly in flood management at Kemijen area Semarang City. Initial findings from secondary data then will be confirmed by field visit, through observation, household interviews. Also, part of this joint studio is the institutional visit and FGD. The team visit Semarang Planning Board, Polder Banger Management Board, Environmental Agency, Disaster Management Board, Water Management Agency, and Health Agency, and also FGD with NGOs such with Bintari, Pattiro, Perdikan and Mercy Corps Indonesia. The local CBOs is part of important data resources as well. A presentation of the result of joint studio is the last activities after a several days of studio’s workshop.
This event is initiated by Prof. Dolores Foley from University of Hawai’i and Dr. Ing Wiwandari Handayani,ST,MT,MPS from UNDIP. With the full support from the Vice Rector of Development and Cooperation, Prof. Dr. Ir. Ambariyanto, MSc. also the Dean of Engineering Faculty, Dr. M. Agung Wibowo, MM, M.Sc. PhD. And also the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, UNDIP particularly the Master Program, University of Hawai’i at Manoa and USAID.
From this event, a better cooperation is one of the aim and also provides experiences for the students from both universities to address issues related to the urban development primarily urban resilience to face disasters and climate change.