The partners are creating a regional center of excellence on disaster risk management and sustainable development with help from the private sector and NGOS, as well as DPPA, the Ethiopian government agency responsible for disaster prevention and mitigation. Stakeholders and universities will combine theoretical and methodological training with practical application for the Ethiopian context. Trainings include distance-learning through a web-based portal, the creation of a 12-module graduate curriculum, faculty exchanges, and short-courses for community leaders and for disaster management specialists from government and NGOs. It also supports BDU’s Disaster Risk Management and Sustainable Development (DRMSD) center.