Crisis, Risk and Disaster Management

About this minor

Contemporary societies experience numerous crises, risks and disasters. In this minor, you will explore each of these themes in relation to grand challenges such as climate change, intensified disasters, cybercrime, and risks associated with emerging technologies. We will also be looking for possible solutions. Its multidisciplinary approach is what makes this minor unique: you learn to combine elements of the social sciences and engineering concepts to analyse and evaluate contemporary crises, risks and disaster-related issues.

This minor is not available for students from a HBO.

What will you learn?

To provide a broad spectrum of knowledge to students, TU Delft and Leiden University set up a cooperation. Leiden University primarily contributes with knowledge in disaster studies, focusing on climate change and disaster politics, as well as intersectional issues. TU Delft contributes in the areas of risk management, system analyses, technology assessment, and ethical analyses. After completion of this Crisis, Risk & Disaster Management minor, you will be able to:

• Acquire multidisciplinary knowledge and skills to assess, analyze, and manage risks associated with complex socio-technical systems and global challenges.
• Understand the interconnectedness of risks and vulnerabilities across borders.
• Apply insights from theories on emerging technologies, cybersecurity, disaster studies, climate politics, cascading effects, and engineering risk management to real-world cases and policy questions.
• Formulate policy advice on some of the most pressing issues in the world today concerning technology, climate change, and disaster.
• Develop proficiency in conducting risk assessments, forecasting potential cascading effects, and proposing evidence-informed strategies for risk prevention and risk mitigation.
• Collaborate in multidisciplinary teams.

Structure of the minor

The minor consists of 6 courses of 5 ECTS each and takes place during the first semester (Sept – Dec). The semester is divided into two blocks of eight weeks each. In every block, three courses are taught. You can also register to only follow the three courses in block one, which count for a total of 15 ECTS. Please be aware that the CRD minor needs to be completed in one academic year. It is not possible to retake courses that you have not passed during the following academic year.

Courses Crisis Management                                                        5 Risk Management                                                          5 Disaster Management                                                    5   Crisis & Risk Management in Cyber Security                5 Risk Management of Emerging Technologies               5 Managing the Climate Crisis Politically                          5  

Schedule

The online timetables show an overview of all your courses, locations, and starting and ending times per semester. Please note that the timetables can be subject to changes if required, so please check the timetables regularly.  For Leiden University, timetables can be found via https://rooster.universiteitleiden.nl/schedule. For TU Delft courses,  Timetables can be found via https://mytimetable.tudelft.nl/. In both timetables, click on 'add timetable' and 'programme of study' and search for the minor to see the courses.

Location

The CRD minor courses will take place at Campus The Hague and Delft University of Technology. More information on this can be found in the e-prospectus of the individual courses.

Cooperation TU Delft and Leiden University

The Minor in Crisis, Risk & Disaster Management is designed as a complementary collaboration between Leiden University and TU Delft, integrating expertise from governance, policy, and engineering disciplines. Leiden University contributes a strong focus on political, social, and disaster governance perspectives, providing students with insights into crisis response mechanisms, security policies, and climate change politics. TU Delft brings technical expertise in risk assessment, engineering risk management, and systemic analysis of vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure. This unique combination ensures that students receive a coherent and well-rounded education, equipping them with both the theoretical foundations and practical tools needed to navigate risk and disaster management challenges. The multidisciplinary nature of the program fosters a holistic understanding, bridging the gap between governance, technology, and policy to prepare students for real-world risk assessment and mitigation efforts.

The CRD minor courses will take place at Campus The Hague and Delft University of Technology. More information on this can be found in the e-prospectus of the individual courses.