About us

The Torrens Resilience Initiative at Flinders University is dedicated to building societal resilience to counter the effect of acute disruptions such as disasters, conflict and humanitarian crisis. For the past decade, we have worked alongside Australians, all levels of government and some of the world’s leading international organisations to support collaborative planning, policy development and practice improvement.

As leaders in resilience research, we have informed a wide range of disaster innovations addressing community resilience and heatwave risks, chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats and protection of national cultural heritage.

The impact of our research is further extended through our consultancy work, and we are available as advisors, guest speakers and to facilitate workshops on resilience for complex disruptive challenges.

Our purpose

Aim

We aim to be a national and international centre of excellence through the development of advanced thinking in the concept of resilience.

Vision

The vision of the Initiative is an Australian nation free of the threat from disruptive challenges, where the security of individuals, communities and organisations is assured.

Mission

We shall assist the Federal and State Governments, the emergency services and organisations in Australia to enhance their leadership and management capabilities, and thus enable them to respond better to disruptive challenges. This will be achieved by:

conducting evidence-based research that will enable informed decisions to be taken on policy, and to assist the development of resilient systems, procedures and practice
providing information, management tools and specialist technical advice
increasing the knowledge and skills of individual leaders and managers through education, training and resilience-focused workshops and seminars.

Values and beliefs

In conducting work, we will:

ensure that its activities, decisions and priorities protect the basic rights and freedoms of individuals as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
ensure that its activities, decisions and priorities are consistent with the organisation’s ethical values – which recognise the diversity of religious, cultural and legal positions and perspectives
encourage people to engage with others in a diverse environment, respecting differences in age, disability, gender, race and religion
conduct its work in a manner which limits its carbon footprint.

Principles

In conducting work, we will:

provide independent and impartial advice and assistance
be creative and innovative
be committed to capacity building
encourage the sharing of knowledge and information
have a national impact
have an international interest.

Networks

The TRI is a founding member of the Global Resilience Research Network (GRRN), currently managed by the Northeastern University in Boston, USA.

As a global network of researchers and practitioners, the GRRN applies interdisciplinary knowledge to support resilience across scales. The network focuses on ensuring that societies can better cope with sudden disruptions and responding to disasters occurring anywhere in the world with resources and support aimed at rebuilding more resilient communities and infrastructures.

On all continents, the GRRN draws on the expertise of diverse resilience experts to conduct assessments, innovate solutions, and enhance local capacity for resilience.

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