The Management of the Tsunami and Disaster Mitigation Research Center (TDMRC) of Syiah Kuala University in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, visited ICHARM on 21 June 2010. The highlight of this visit was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between TDMRC and ICHARM. They also paid a courtesy visit to Dr. Sakamoto, the chief executive of PWRI, took an observation tour to several research facilities of PWRI and had a discussion on potential future collaborative activities to Dr. Takeuchi, ICHARM Director.

TDMRC was established in 2006 in response to the great devastation caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami disaster. The main focus of TDMRC is to conduct applied studies in disaster risk reduction to produce strategic concepts to increase people’s awareness of disaster risk reduction. The collaboration between ICHARM and TDMRC has been developed since 2008. In March 2010, they jointly organized the International Workshop on Sustainable Tsunami Disaster Management in Banda Aceh.

Based on the MoU, which was signed by ICHARM Director Takeuchi and TDMRC Director Dirhamsyah, the parties have agreed to cooperate in various forms such as conducting collaborative research, co-organizing technical conferences, encouraging exchange visits and collaboration in job-trainings and internships, establishing links between the parties’ websites, developing electronic communications, and jointly preparing technical and scientific reports in areas of mutual interest.

Besides, Dr. Teuku Alvisyahrin, one of the delegates, is an ex-trainee of the “UN/ISDR Comprehensive Tsunami Disaster Prevention Training Course”, which was conducted by ICHARM in 2008. We are so delighted to continue the relationship with him and finally sign the MoU with his institution.

ICHARM’s Director (left) and TDMRC’s Director (right) shake hands after signing the MoU.