CoronaSys Workshop Series

Addressing the corona pandemic in Armenia through systemic risk management

Rationale

The CoronaSys workshop series brings together international experts to exchange experiences, discuss gaps and challenges, and ponder on joint questions concerning the response to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Particular emphasis is put on medical solutions, technological innovations, and socio-political policies, as well as on the identification of best practices for prevention, detection, containment, and treatment. Reflecting on the pandemic from a whole-of-society perspective, the aim is to create a think forum on strategies for systemic pandemic and risk management.

The workshops are organized by the Academy of the Disaster Research Unit, which is, as a non-profit limited liability company, a spin-off of the Disaster Research Unit at the Free University of Berlin. They are part of the research project “CoronaSys: Addressing the corona pandemic in Armenia through systemic risk management”, sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The workshop protocols offer insights on the conversational course with an emphasis on key points. All participants are granted the opportunity to review and comment on the draft version of the workshop protocols prior to their publication.

Timeline

The workshops will take place regularly throughout the project until January 2021 and will last approx. 2 hours each to keep them on subject and managable for everyone with a busy schedule. Subsequently to the current definition project, a consecutive three-year project is in the planning and application stage. Hence, the workshops will also open up networking
opportunities for further cooporation.

Workshop Topics

Workshop topics will be chosen in collaboration with network partners based on current interests and needs in Armenia and Germany. You are more than welcome to make suggestions and share your insights. We are looking forward to hearing from you!

Technicalities

  • The workshops will be held via Zoom. Details will be provided ahead of each call.
  • Network partners will be able to contribute to the subject matters of the workshop by raising topics of “up-to-date relevance” during the discussion parts of the workshop. They may offer suggestions for the agenda up to one week prior to the workshop.
  • Official language of the conversations is English. Upon request ahead of time, a translation service may be provided from Armenian into German/English or vice versa.
  • Chatham House Rules apply.

Outputs

  • Workshop summaries
  • Results dossier: summary of all project outcomes in the definition phase (see also project outcomes below)

Expected Outcomes

  • Establishment of a network of interdisciplinary partners between Armenia and Germany with knowledge exchange, learning, and potential future reseach collaboration at its core
  • Exhilerated mutual learning between network partners including identification of best practices and lessons learned
  • Enhanced knowledge about phenomena, challenges, strategies, and innovations concerning the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic
  • Increased understanding of different approaches and health and disaster
  • management systems with particular focus on identifying avenues towards systemic pandemic and risk management

Key Components of the CoronaSys- Project

The central objective of the CoronaSys project is to establish a research cooperation for the acute control of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic with the medium to long-term goal of systemic, integrated risk management. To this end, capacities, needs, strengths, weaknesses, and existing solutions in Germany, Armenia and internationally are identified. A concrete focus
of this 8-month definition project is on health care and civil protection as part of integrated and systemic disaster risk management. To facilitate dialogue and generate learning between the two countries a series of web-based discussions will take place. Experts with specific expertise and experience will be brought together for online workshops, which will be
facilitated by the Academy of the Disaster Research Unit. CoronaSys project outcomes will comprise, among others, the following:

  • Disaster risk management and health system country profiles for Armenia and Germany in order to provide a discussion base with regard to institutional differences and similarities
  • Descriptive assessment of social and socio-medical vulnerabilities within Armenia to identify areas and groups in need of targeted attention
  • Study on capacities, gaps, and needs of the Armenian health and civil protection system in the Covid-19 pandemic to understand priorities and available means
  • Establishing a German-Armenian collaboration and exchange on research and development in the area of medical and societal measures for dealing with the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic via a series of online workshops and discussions
  • Horizon scanning of medical, technical, and social innovations for pandemic management that are currently developed in Armenia and Germany and internationally
  • Comparative mapping of existing integrative approaches to pandemic control in Armenia and Germany to further systemic risk management perspectives and approaches
  • Synopsis of socio-political debates on strategies for dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic with special emphasis on civil liberties and the right to health in democratic disaster risk and pandemic management

For any inquiries, please feel free to contact the team lead Sara Merkes (merkes@akfs.de) or the project lead Martin Voss (voss@a-kfs.de).


CoronaSys Workshop I: Adressing a twindemic | Protocol

CoronaSys Workshop II: Disaster Risk Management in Armenia| Protocol

CoronaSys Workshop III: COVID-19 Logistics – Strategies and Challenges | Protocol

CoronaSys Workshop IV: Vulnerabilities and Resilience – Coping with COVID-19 in Armenia | Protocol

CoronaSys Workshop V in collaboration with UNDP: The Role of National Disaster Management Authorities in Pandemic Response | Protocol