Monash University Disaster Resilience Initiative
Led by Associate Professor Jonathan Abrahams, the Monash University Disaster Resilience Initiative (MUDRI) delivers impactful research and projects that build capacities and transform development, emergency management and health systems - enabling communities and countries to reduce risk and strengthen resilience to disasters, hazardous events, and climate change.
The team's multidisciplinary expertise spans emergency risk management, public health, climate adaptation, humanitarian action, and social sciences. They co-develop, deliver, and evaluate evidence-based projects with real-world impact at local, national, regional, and global levels. As an implementing partner in Fire to Flourish, the team’s collaborations extend across Monash University faculties in Australia and Malaysia, the World Health Organization, Anglia Ruskin University (UK), Emergency Management Victoria, the Red Cross, Gender and Disaster Australia, and several Australian universities.
Major projects
In 2025, the team continued to advance the Resilient Hospitals and Health Facilities initiative across the Asia-Pacific region, partnering with Monash Malaysia's REACH hub, the World Health Organization, and the Burnet Institute, with support from the Monash Incubator Program.
Domestically, MUDRI and Fire to Flourish led Monash's role in establishing the Victorian Disaster Research Alliance, uniting key universities across Victoria on disaster and community resilience. The team also continued its collaboration with Monash's HumaniseLab on multihazard early warning platforms, improving access for people with cultural, linguistic, or diverse communication needs.
Other major collaborations included the International Research Institute of Disaster Science at Tohoku University; an international mental health and psychosocial support research group spanning Italy, Japan, the USA, Australia, and the WHO; and a broad Asia-Pacific network on Resilient Hospitals and Health Facilities involving WHO regional offices, the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre, Anglia Ruskin University, and Monash campuses across Australia and Malaysia. National partners included NEMA, Natural Hazards Research Australia, the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience, Emergency Management Victoria, Yarra Ranges Council, and Gender and Disaster Australia.
Funding partners
The team's work was supported by a diverse funding base, including the Paul Ramsay Foundation, Metal Manufactures Pty Ltd, and the Lowy Foundation through Fire to Flourish; Natural Hazards Research Australia through Queensland University of Technology; the Monash Incubator Program; Tohoku University; and the WHO Centre for Health Development in Kobe, Japan.
Accredited educational offering
MUDRI builds the capacities of current and future multidisciplinary workforces through practice-oriented education for national and international students. In 2025, this included a significantly revised offering of two accredited Master's-level units covering disaster risk management, humanitarian action, community resilience, and climate change adaptation. Student enrolments doubled year-on-year, reflecting growing interest from students across international development, international relations, sustainable tourism, and beyond. Funding was also substantially bolstered by increased student enrolments in the Master's-level units.
2025 marked the final year of MUDRI's activities within MUARC. Over its lifespan, the initiative built a strong foundation of disaster resilience research, education, and partnerships at local, national, and international levels. Importantly, MUARC continues its expertise in emergency management and disaster preparedness through our Emergency Services Research team, led by Associate Professor Carlyn Muir, and through other research teams across the Centre. Our disaster resilience and community preparedness teaching units will continue to be offered to students in the Faculty of Arts with support from Dr Adriana Keating who will join the MUARC team.