From July 1 to 3, 2025, the University of Alicante (UA) hosted the first working session and management meeting of the DIGIHAZ project (Digital Transformation for Natural Hazards). Funded by the EU-ASEAN SCOPE Higher Education program under the Global Gateway initiative, DIGIHAZ aims to enhance disaster management capabilities across Southeast Asia by establishing specialized doctoral programs focused on digital transformation and natural risk management.

Over three days of intensive collaboration, UA welcomed delegates from partner institutions across Europe and Southeast Asia, including:

• Greece: University of West Attica (UNIWA)
• Philippines: Xavier University (XU) and University of the Cordilleras (UC)
• Malaysia: Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM)

Event Highlights and Key Sessions

The gathering combined strategic academic planning with robust administrative coordination:

• Curriculum Design: Participants focused on defining core content, learning outcomes, and academic requirements for the new joint doctoral programs. Designed to train a new generation of experts, these programs directly address the escalating vulnerability of Southeast Asian nations to climate-induced natural disasters.
• Project Management: Delegations finalized essential administrative frameworks, visibility strategies, and quality assurance mechanisms. Special focus was also placed on designing a comprehensive training pipeline for early-career researchers.

Moving Forward

The inaugural session delivered significant progress toward establishing a strong intercontinental research cluster. Beyond advancing academic design and administrative roadmaps, the event reinforced a shared commitment among European and ASEAN partners to build long-term disaster resilience through high-level education and research.