About Us
The Institute for Security, Disaster and Emergency Studies (ISDES) is a Ghanaian entity created in 2008 in the fervent of demands for public health practitioners and researchers in disaster resilient leadership and in criminology. The general view in Sub-Saharan Africa is that many of the region’s nations lack credible leadership in disaster risk reduction and management and in criminology. ISDES is therefore part of the solution to the perceived inadequacy of disaster resilient leadership and well trained criminologist in the region.
ISDES is a registered Ghanaian public research and educational Institute, manned by Ghanaians in collaboration with exceptional nationals and institutions of other nations such as the Galilee International Management Institute and the Senior Expert Service of Bonn, Germany.
Vision
- To strengthen disaster resilience leadership capacity as part of national and regional training program.
- To develop a new crop of criminologists, with core competencies in crime sciences, crime investigation within a democratic dispensation, the observance of the rule of law and the respect for basic human rights.
Overview
Until its transformation into an accredited tertiary institution offering both undergraduate and graduate level programs, ISDES was largely a research institute, beginning from 2008 to about mid 2014. During that time, ISDES offered short courses and conducted executive training in Disaster Resilient Leadership Training, Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR).
It also conducted training programs and research on minimization of Conflict and its Management, as well as the Management of National Security Assets, Anti-Terrorism, and Ethics across Sub-Sahara Africa. These programs were run in informal collaboration with the School of Public Health, University of Ghana between 2010 and 2011 and then from about August 2011, with the University of Health and Allied Sciences.
As far back as 2008 and under the leadership of Dr. Ishmael Norman, ISDES has played lead role in the development of curriculum and in the training of faculty for Disaster Resilience Leadership through workshops at the University of Development Studies, University of Health and Allied Sciences and several other national universities.
The ISDES Objectives
The Institute’s program is dedicated to the systematic strengthening of national and regional humanitarian leadership through education, research, and application in order to help reduce vulnerabilities in the communities and improve overall capacity and preparedness against disasters and emergencies.
It also seeks to improve criminal investigation protocols and understanding in the nation and the sub-region through education, research, and field application of learned modalities for best practices.
Rationale
There is high demand for Disaster Resilience Leadership and Criminologists in Higher Education. There is no national institution currently offering dedicated program in DRR/DRM and in Criminology, Penology and Police Science either at the undergraduate or graduate levels, let alone Disaster Resilient Leadership studies. There is the lack of current benchmarks in Disaster Resilience Leadership and in Criminologists. There are very few existing impact analyses and guidelines of what the need is in the area of Leadership gaps in both broad areas.
Hopefully, with increased capacity, the graduates would be expected to begin a “snowball” effect of influencing their peers in contributing to and informing the development of other practitioners. There is therefore the need to fill this gap with the programs proposed by ISDES with an established history of supporting linkages between universities and the public and private sectors.
Institute for Security, Disaster and Emergency Studies operates a specialized residential undergraduate and graduate degree programs in Disaster Management and in Criminology.
More programs would be added in the subsequent years.
It is physically located at the picturesque grounds of Langma Beach, on the Gulf of Guinea.
It has approximately 5 acres of prime beach front property and boasting of 600 feet of uninterrupted but coconut trees lined ocean view, swimming pool, board games, and on the adjacent lot, an endurance park.
In the past, the Institute has conducted its training programs at the same premises. The programs were short in duration lasting, normally, for about 6 days. It was strictly residential.
At the endurance park, team spirit building is promoted and enhanced, physical agility is improved and the overall health seeking behavior through daily exercises of students and practitioners is awakened.
Additional undeveloped land next to the school grounds is available for expansion.
There are many opportunities for recreation: walking, swimming, sightseeing, reading, biking, pool, football, and beach volley.
Accommodation is both on and off campus. Availability is on first come first served basis. On campus accommodation is limited, but each room is self-contained and may be fitted with refrigerator, television (optional). Each room has shower, WC and wash hand basin. Air conditioned rooms are optional and attracts a surcharge. For more details about obtaining accommodation on campus, refer to your registration manual.
On campus car park is available for about 50 cars. Institute is not responsible for damage to car or content.