UC Quake Centre – Strategy and Action Plan.

We understand the destruction earthquakes can bring and what a difference that seismic engineering and innovation can make.

There is now a high level of awareness of seismic needs created as a result of Christchurch earthquakes. Canterbury-wide, throughout New Zealand and internationally it is essential that industry and academic sectors collaborate and share their resources to achieve practical advances in seismic solutions.

At the Quake Centre it is our vision to become known as a central facilitator in a coordinated effort between industry and academia with a mission to:

Partner with industry and international collaborators to create earthquake engineering solutions;

Up-skill professionals in earthquake engineering;

Enhance New Zealand’s capability to evaluate seismic performance of structures and lifelines, and;

Raise the level of community awareness of seismic risk and earthquake engineering solutions.

“To effectively carry out this mission and achieve its stated vision the Quake Centre has put in place a plan with high-level objectives towards this desired outcome, grouped under five strategies.”

Key Strategies:

The following identifies the 5 key strategic initiatives, which in turn support the 4 overarching themes of the Quake Centre: Solutions, Up-skilling, Risk and Community. Our projects and priorities are in accordance with the needs identified by the Quake Centre partners.

Deliver compelling earthquake engineering solutions to industry. Objectives - To stay up-to-date with the latest industry identified research needs and to achieve good industry take-up of research outcomes as well as a sense of industry participation in and “ownership” of the outcomes.

Outcomes -That the reputation of the Quake Centre as a provider of good solutions grows and the resilience of New Zealand’s built infrastructure progressively improves.

Up-skill professionals in earthquake engineering.

Objectives - To identify and define earthquake engineering training and education gaps in New Zealand, as well as providing a range of practitioner orientated online and face-to-face training courses and seminars.

Outcomes - To have high industry participation in courses, seminars and workshops and acknowledgement by industry that the training materials are practical and valuable in the field. To provide an effective educational channel through which industry can directly contribute to Quake Centre outcomes in earthquake engineering.

Foster national and international collaborations to address technology and resource gaps.

Objectives - To develop and grow mutually beneficial collaborations between the Quake Centre, UC, UA and internationally recognised earthquake engineering research centres.

Outcomes - To have meaningful collaborative research, efficient use of resources through access to existing technology and training solutions and access to the best earthquake engineering solutions globally.

Maintain and grow future investment in the QC.

Objectives -To maintain and grow future investment in the QC, as well as develop and maintain government funding with the objective to build and maintain industry confidence in and support of the QC.

Outcomes – That the QC secures funding commitments from industry and government to ensure QC has the financial ability to grow future capability and resources.

Maintain and grow UC and UA support of the QC.

Objectives - To build and maintain the confidence of the UC and UA in the Quake Centre as well as effective engagement with the Ngai Tahu Research Centre.

Outcomes - The desired outcomes are for the QC to be seen as an effective core partner. That academics come to respect the work of the Quake Centre, recognise and promote it, as well as see it as an enhancement to their image.

Overall, our purpose is to make a difference through the collaborations we create, the thinking we stimulate and the innovative solutions to which we contribute.