Skip to main content

Welcome to the Institute for Human Resiliency, Strategic Security and the Future(IHRSSF)

In 2018 the University of Guyana hosted 4 days of Blueprinting sessions in which 4 aspirational goals emerged. These goals emerged from a thorough analysis and discussion of several studies and policy documents as well as future modelling around threats, risks, needs and opportunities in Guyana over the next 20 years. The objective of the Blueprinting process was to reform UG to make it more responsive and relevant to the rapidly changing (now hyper-disrupted) times ahead...

 

Introduction to The Institute

In 2018 the University of Guyana hosted 4 days of Blueprinting sessions in which 4 aspirational goals emerged. These goals emerged from a thorough analysis and discussion of several studies and policy documents as well as future modelling around threats, risks, needs and opportunities in Guyana over the next 20 years. The objective of the Blueprinting process was to reform UG to make it more responsive and relevant to the rapidly changing (now hyper-disrupted) times ahead.

Goal 2 of the UG Blueprint 2040 is to make UG a Centre of Excellence in Teaching and Research in 8 strategic areas. One of those areas is Human Resiliency Systems. The only issue is that in the history of resilience work there is no such thing at this moment known as “Human Resiliency Systems”. In 2021, UG again hosted its follow up BluePrint Encounter 3, in which the University began to focus on how it would achieve the aspirational goals indicated and how and if the global Covid 19 Pandemic would impact on the BluePrint and the University in all its contexts. Six imperatives emerged from that conversation: 1) Need for work and earn (2) Modular (3) Mobile (4) self- directed (5) micro-degrees (6) speed (7) accessibility (8) Inclusivity and student centeredness (9) High value for money (10) Market and Future Responsiveness.

Indeed, the next 10-year programmatic cycle (2022-2032) for the UN contains 4 pillars; two of which speak to resilience and two to safety and security. Resiliency courses and inclusion of content on resiliency is also popping up all over the world especially in Ivy league University’s which have their focus firmly set on the future. However, so far, the framing of a discipline which can emerge to study and create a process of observing and recording what systems exist, how they work, how they can be sustained and developed or replicated as well as what threatens and challenges them is rare. Therefore, this is what UG is setting out to carve out: a single multi-disciplinary entity which will have very strong international support to study and develop the discipline of Human Resiliency systems.

Why Human resiliency is important now, is because given the myriad of continuous multifaceted and complex threats facing the earth, resilience is most likely a key differentiating factor in the survival of the human species and life on this planet and possibly off it henceforth.

About IHRSSF

Vision of IHRSSF

To create an international multi-disciplinary entity which will research and develop the discipline of Human resiliency systems. This will contribute to the future human survival and sustainability of the human species.

Mission of IHRSSF

To seek, understand and support development of resilient humans and resilient systems that support human life.

Objectives of IHRSSF

  1.  To observe and study human resilience globally
  2.  To perhaps develop the discipline of human resiliency systems
  3.  To generate research, disseminate knowledge, teaching and policy around the question of human resiliency
  4.  To generate research, disseminate knowledge, teaching and policy around the question of strategic human security
  5.  To generate research, disseminate knowledge, teaching and policy around the question of Guyana’s future in the context of humanity’s future and the future of planet earth
  6.  To provide a common academic space for international multi-and cross disciplinary partnerships, to galvanize funding and intellectual resources who will work across disciplines, space, time and dimensions in regard to human resilience.
  7.  To systematize and institutionalize resilience as a human attribute and practice at all levels of society through teaching and action research especially amongst the young and those perceived as historically vulnerable.
#

Email us:ihrssf@uog.edu.gy

Call us: (+592) 624-1311