Ahmad Ali Rezaie

Emergency Management Officer, New Zealand Red Cross, Wellington
Master of Disaster Risk Management and Development student

He was drawn to the multidisciplinary approach of AUT’s Master of Disaster Risk Management and Development, says Ahmad Ali Rezaie who came to AUT as an international student from Afghanistan and has a background as a humanitarian practitioner.

“I’ve worked for international humanitarian organisations like the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, International Organization for Migration and Save the Children in different Asian countries for around 10 years, managing emergency operations and providing relief and recovery assistance to disaster-affected communities. I had always been interested in completing specialised academic training in disaster risk management.

“The primary reason I chose AUT was the structure of the master’s programme itself. I was particularly drawn to its multidisciplinary approach, which allows students from diverse academic backgrounds to enrol. I also liked that the programme extends beyond a narrow focus on emergency management, and includes courses that build an understanding of both emergency management issues and development topics that are crucial for effective disaster risk management.

He says his time and experience at AUT have been great.

“I’ve greatly appreciated the opportunity to work closely with highly knowledgeable and supportive lecturers who have challenged me to think critically, and deepen my understanding of disaster risk reduction and the broader development issues. The ability to conduct in-depth research with the support of AUT's resources and guidance from my supervisor has been incredibly rewarding. I’ve also been impressed by AUT's diverse and inclusive community, and have enjoyed being able to interact with people from various cultural and academic backgrounds.”

Inspired to make a difference
For his master’s degree research, Ahmad Ali is focusing on the potential integration of disaster risk reduction elements into social protection programming, with a focus on South Asian countries. His research is supervised by Associate Professor Loic Le Dé.

“Social protection refers to a set of policies and programmes aimed at reducing poverty and vulnerability, primarily targeting the poorest populations. While integrating disaster risk reduction measures into social protection programmes is critical, this area remains insufficiently explored, particularly in South Asian countries that frequently experience disasters associated with floods, cyclones, landslides and earthquakes. Despite the shared goals of reducing vulnerabilities and enhancing resilience, social protection and disaster risk reduction programmes are often designed and implemented in isolation.

“Through my research, I aim to explore the opportunities and challenges of integrating disaster risk reduction measures into social protection programming. I’m specifically assessing how social assistance services, for example financial assistance provided by government agencies or non-governmental organisations, can be leveraged to reduce hazard risks, raise awareness, build capacity and enhance preparedness among impoverished and vulnerable communities in South Asia.”

He says he has been impressed by the expertise and profound knowledge of the disaster risk management and development staff at AUT.

“Associate Professor Ailsa Holloway and Associate Professor Loic Le Dé have a strong command of disaster risk management and climate change issues, and a deep technical expertise that is inspiring. I’ve learnt a great deal from them on critical topics, including community resilience building, the interconnectedness between disaster risk reduction and development issues, and the environmental issues and broader climate change challenges.”

Advice for other students
Ahmad Ali – who started working for the New Zealand Red Cross after completing the coursework component for his master's degree and is based in Wellington while finishing his research thesis – has some great advice for other students.

“AUT offers a wide range of useful, cost-free capacity-building training courses, either online or in-person, available for all postgraduate students. These courses provide support in academic writing, mastering referencing, learning paraphrasing and other skills that are important for producing high-quality assignments. I recommend that postgraduate students take full advantage of these resources during their first semester.”

He wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the Master of Disaster Risk Management and Development to other students.

“No matter what your previous academic background has been – whether health, engineering, social sciences or computer science – if you have an interest and passion for disaster risk management, this programme is designed for you, and you can make it.

“A key advantage of the programme is its flexibility, with AUT offering multiple postgraduate options in disaster risk management and development. Students can choose to pursue a postgraduate certificate, and if they find the programme interesting and want to continue their studies, they can opt for either a postgraduate diploma or a master’s degree. This flexibility and the range of options are especially valuable for students with full-time jobs or those returning to academic life after a break.”