Facilitating hazard, risk, and resilience research  

20 years of the Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience

The Institute of Hazard Risk and Resilience (IHRR) is an internationally leading research institute at Durham University. Established in 2004 by academic staff in the Department of Geography, the institute’s strength is its ability to approach complex problems holistically. In 2007, a building was erected to house IHRR’s researchers, further establishing the institute as one enabling hazard, risk, and resilience research across 27 Durham University academic departments. With twenty years of field-defining research, the IHRR now comprises a growing community of researchers and practitioners, engaged in a wide range of projects across the globe.

The IHRR supports innovative research and training for use in policy and practice, collaborating directly with communities, NGOs, and governments, with many of its alumni working in the field of risk and resilience throughout the world. The institute is committed to working with, and learning from, the widest possible range of stakeholders living with hazard and risk—empowering people, fostering resilience, and improving lives.

Philanthropic support has been integral to IHRR’s success, enabling PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, a named professorship, a landslide laboratory, and numerous visitors and outreach programmes. Between 2008 and 2023, donors funded 19 PhD students, many from the Global South, to conduct pioneering research on hazard and risk, helping to train the next generation of resilience leaders. Donor-backed research has also strengthened IHRR’s ability to secure further funding, with the institute associated with over 100 grants and more than £27 million allocated to Durham University between 2007 and 2023. This support has allowed IHRR to lead innovative projects worldwide, from understanding climate impacts in river deltas to enhancing community resilience to natural hazards.

Over the past two decades, IHRR has tackled some of the world’s most urgent hazard and risk challenges. In South Asia, its work has strengthened earthquake resilience planning in Nepal and advanced landslide risk assessment in India and Indonesia. In Africa, it has supported climate adaptation research in Ghana, Tanzania, and South Africa, helping communities respond to food and water insecurity. IHRR has worked with local organisations in Mexico, Brazil, and Indonesia to improve public health responses to volcanic ash and contributed to national flood mitigation strategies in Bangladesh. Across the UK, the institute has collaborated with government and industry to integrate risk modelling into urban planning and are currently assessing the impacts of extreme weather on renewable energy sources.

Understanding how hazards interact and trigger cascading risks is one of several core areas of the IHRR’s research. In Turkey and Ecuador, the institute has examined earthquake-induced landslides and their long-term effects on communities. Research in Malaysia and Vietnam has informed strategies for mitigating landslides in rapidly urbanising regions, ensuring sustainable planning. IHRR expertise in multi-hazard risk extends to river deltas, where researchers in Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam have assessed flooding, sea-level rise, and environmental degradation. Recent studies in Nairobi, Istanbul, and Kathmandu highlight multi[1]hazard cascades in hyper-dense cities, providing critical evidence to strengthen adaptation policies.

Collaboration is fundamental to IHRR’s success. By bringing together experts in physical and social sciences, engineering, and policy, the institute bridges research and practice. In Ukraine, researchers have supported crisis preparedness and post[1]disaster recovery, while in the Caribbean, IHRR has helped coastal communities design resilience strategies for climate-driven hazards. Whether developing digital tools for risk forecasting, co-creating response frameworks with at-risk communities, or mentoring the next generation of resilience researchers, IHRR remains committed to globally relevant, locally impactful research. Reflecting on this journey, Professor Bruce Malamud, Director & Wilson Chair of Hazard and Risk in the IHRR, emphasises the critical role of donor support: “Our work improves lives globally, from communities in South East Asia and Central America to Europe, Africa, and the North East of England. We are deeply grateful for the generosity of our donors, whose support has enabled us to push boundaries and make a tangible difference in improving lives.”